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It was such a blast!! Some familiar faces, met some new people. The bands were great.
Mind Riot's regular drummer couldn't make it, so a gentleman, I do believe his name is Scott, filled in.
It just amazed me. This whole experience. Absolutely fantastic. I asked Valerie if she could find out if Greg knew any band that would think about doing a fundraiser. Next thing I know is Greg and a few other musicians formed DegaMeth, just to do this. THEY DID IT JUST FOR THE SHELTER!! Amazing!! The guys in Mind Riot, jumped right on the band wagon too!
Some of you don't realize that this is really a BIG thing for these guys to do. Not only are they giving up their personal time, they have to lug all of their equipment, and some of that stuff is huge and heavy. They could have been doing anything else, but they chose to help the shelter.
I cannot thank them enough.
Valerie ran with this. I didn't expect her to do anything but ask Greg. She found a place to hold it, a little pub called Maple Grove (more about Maple Grove in a minute).
This is the FIRST time that someone took the responsibility to organize a fundraiser. I mean, she took the reins, and handled the WHOLE thing. I didn't have to stress out over this at all. I didn't have to worry. Thank you so much Valerie!!!
Now more about Maple Grove. It is the best place. Very laid back, great employees, Christi answered all the questions and was a great help in getting things in place at Maple Grove.
It has two floors, on the first floor is a nice neighborhood bar. Friendly and laid back. Pool tables in the back room. Plenty of room, and reasonable prices!! I had my dinner there, a cheese burger and fries and a drink (yes I had a drink!!) it cost only $7.50.
When my cheese burger got to me, a few people I knew came in, so I started to talk to them. By the time I got to my food it was cold. But it was really good. I wish I could have eaten my cheese burger hot!! I am going back just so I can eat it hot. If it tasted that good cold, imagine how great it is hot.
The second floor is another bar area and stage. There was a good stretch of time that there was no one in the bar on the first floor, they were all on the second floor listening
First, let me say one thing, these ferrets were loved. No doubt about that. And it was the size of the heart that got these people in trouble. Ferret math is not as wonderful as it seems.
I got this email yesterday, they are coming today. I blanked out the names just because it is the right thing to do.
People tend not to think long term when it comes to pets, ferrets especially. Yes, some can afford and deal with multiple pets and bills, but not all.
I tell people, save $5 per paycheck for an emergency/vet fund per ferret, or at least if you have two ferrets $25 a month. At $25 a month for two ferrets that is a $300 vet fund. Not enough for a surgery in most cases, but, a good down payment. Or if you are lucky it can roll over another year and keep adding the money monthly. Trust me, it helps. Surgeries can get expensive. This will help.
It wasn't something that they wanted to do, but out of need they are.
Ferret math is not a good thing.
Here is the email:
I need to surrender three of my ferrets. I love them very much and really want to keep them, but I can no longer afford to do so. To be completely honest, I never could in the first place, but up until now we were never QUITE badly off enough to have to surrender them.
my five-year-old girl I need to surrender, has a few medical problems. We bought her for $50 last November from a crappy pet store with the intention of making her better. She had adrenal surgery in mid-December; her left gland and 3/4 of her right gland had to come out. Her symptoms soon returned, so first she went on melatonin, then on lupron. On the 3rd of this month, we noticed that she had lost a great deal of weight; she was extremely lethargic, and when she did try to move around, she staggered as though drunk. We took her to the emergency vet, where they put her on a dextrose iv and a catheter. They tested her glucose and said it was 25. We left her there until the night of the 4th, when we had to bring her home due to lack of funds. They sent her home with some pred, and we took her to her regular vet the next day, where we were told to up the pred dosage and feed her every two hours; we were also given a prescription for another very expensive medicine. We fed her and gave her her pred for five or six days, and waited on filling her prescription, again due to lack of funds. By the time we finally were able to get her prescription filled, we had found out about some side effects of the drug we were wary of, so we returned to our vet for another glucose check and to ask advice. Her glucose on that visit was 341; WAY too high. It turns out that the emergency vet tested her glucose with a piece of equipment that is known for inaccuracies, so now we have no idea what her glucose actually was on the 3rd. Our vet thinks that she may be in the early stages of insulinoma; she is probably not diabetic, since 341 is about what our vet would have expected to see in a normal ferret who was taking as much pred as she was. was. she was to have her glucose checked this Friday, but our car needs VERY expensive repairs as it broke down completely a few days ago...without a car, I can't get to work, and without work I can't pay my rent, let alone the vet bills she is going to incur. And I can't borrow other people's cars forever.I don't want her to die because I can't afford her vet care.
All of this has also made me realize that I cannot afford to have as many ferrets as I do. I currently have five, and in all honesty cannot afford to keep more than two.The other two ferrets I would need to surrender are E (3-year-old female) and C (three-year-old male).We bought E from the same petstore as J in February of 2005. She has not had any health problems at all in the time we have had her. She gets along well with other ferrets, and with cats and dogs. She DOES bite, but only if you squeak a squeaky toy while she is playing, or if you put your hand in her face when she is dancing around being crazy. She loves to dig, and our rice box is probably her favorite toy.We got C from a "free farret" ad in August of last year. He also has not had any health problems. Some of the fur on his tail is thinning right now, but it also did this last fall during his shed, and grew back later. Since he is not losing from the base of his tail or elsewhere on his body, and since he has no other signs of adrenal, we do not think he has adrenal. He had an ultrasound last fall which showed both adrenal glands at a normal size. He loves his treats like n-bones and chicken baby food, but his very favorite thing is dragging J around the floor by her neck (which she loves even though she cries; whenever you save her, she shoots you a dirty look and runs right back over to him).They eat a mix of Felidae Cat and Kitten Formula/Chicken Soup for the Kitten's Soul. For treats they get chicken baby food, n-bones, and ferretone.They are up to date with their distemper shots (due next January), but not their rabies shot (we have never been able to afford it). They have been ADV tested...E and C with the at-home saliva test last September, and J had the blood test through our vet last December. They all tested negative.Unfortunately I cannot bring their cage, toys, etc with them since I still need them for the two I am keeping. I will bring a hammock or two with them.This decision has been a long time coming, and now that it is made I just want it all to be over.Please get back to me as soon as possible.
Most folks didn't know that last night I had the opportunity to go to John Carroll University, and do an interview on their station during the Metal on Metal program, who is DJ'd by Bill Peters.
It was an opportunity to plug the upcoming concert fund raiser, and get some publicity for the shelter.
Greg, the young man to put together the group, "DegaMeth" (just for this benefit by the way - but if they get a really great turn out, maybe there is a place for "DegaMeth" in Cleveland's music scene).
Any way, it was a great experience, and thank you Bill for letting us plug the upcoming benefit concert.
One thing that Bill stated is so true, and I constantly get on my soap box about it, if it is something that means something to you, whether it be helping the homeless, teaching kids to read, helping at a hospital, finding a cure for cancer, just get involved. Do something, and do it to the best of your ability.
If you do that, then no one can accuse you of being a slacker, and you can be proud of yourself for doing something. Doing a little something is one heck of a lot better than doing a whole lot of nothing.
See you all at the concert!!
Joe was kind enough to make this interview available in MP3 format for us. It is a pretty big file, so right click it and save it to your computer to listen.
http://www.ferretsunlimited.org/billpeters-ferret.mp3
Yep, I am tired, I was up till 4 AM rearranging the downstairs, now we no longer have a dining room, there is a third shelter room in it's place.
I was up at 6:30 AM, got hubby off to work, got meds ready, made a trip out to the vet (Avon Lake Animal Clinic- Dr. Krupka) packed the car up with some shelter stuff that can go to the storage locker, moved the locker stuff around to make room, brought back three Ferret Nation cages to put together, did the duck soup round, still have a room full of cages to clean, and kids to medicate.
I have lots of stuff that I have to go through, sort, pay, put away, finish, and the such, all the stuff that should be in office, but it has started to become a storage room.
There is a list of kids to be surrendered, I desperately need help. One of our volunteers can't help out for the next two or three months (when you have a handful of volunteers, one is a big difference) She has some major stuff going on right now that needs her attention, once it gets settled and in order she'll be back, and actually probably feeling better mentally, this mess has been like a huge anchor on her and her family. I hope it goes well, I'd like to see her worry less.
So yep, I am back at it, volunteer anyone?
Thanks for the help today Julie.
You see Julie brought her husband and son today to volunteer. They did cages and I got to sub q two ferrets, do seven fecal floats, take in a surrender, arrange an appointment for a surrender, talk to a guy about surrendering his 5 ferrets, and do 5 loads of ferret laundry. Oh yeah, and set up two cages, and clean the poop out of another that was done last night.
You see, the shelter does need your help. Normally we try to keep the volunteers coming in during the day, that way in the evening I can try to cook, take care of the sick ones, and maybe get some house work done.
Right now, we need you. Can you spare 3 or 4 hours a month? A week? If you can, we can use your help. With as many ferrets that are here now, we can set up a schedule for you to come in in the evening.
We could use a couple of people Monday during the day.
We can also use help, Wednesday (day or evening), Thursday, Friday (day or evening), or Saturday, day.
If you can volunteer, email Diane at boopdi@yahoo.com and let her know when you can volunteer, make sure she has your phone number.
If you do, please show up, and if you decide you can't make it, please let us know. I don't have much of a life but I try to arrange it around the shelter.
Well, it was a Monday.
I was up this morning and looking at fecal floats, before I finished my first cup of coffee. (Yeah, I know I have such an exciting life.)
Jane gets here, and I know I need to run and get the meds, and pick up more wood stove pellets (litter here).
I mixed up the food for the kids, told Jane what the med doses were, and told her I'm running off to get the stuff.
Asked hubby if he wanted to go for the ride, and he did. (I didn't have to drive YEAH!!) So on 71 south, about one mile from Bagley Road, a car in the right lane hits this pipe with his tire and it spins into our lane, about the same time a car to the left hits another pipe and IT flips into our lane. We hit them BOTH.
Guess what? The one pipe cuts the fuel line. So hubby drifts the car off the road. Now we are talking the shelter's 93 Ford Taurus Wagon. Call the shelter and Jane some how decides to answer the phone, and comes to get us.
We got it towed back, went and got parts, went to Medina for the original stuff needed, back to here, and hubby fixed the wagon.
I think life is trying to tell me that I need to start to shrug off some of the things that happen and just say, "Oh well, poop happens!!"
Hope you had a great day.
I hear that a lot. I always give them the same answer. I don't, lots of things get left undone, that is why I am always asking for help or volunteers.
For example, little Samson (baby ranch mink I am raising) **No they do not make good pets, don't let him or Trouble fool you. Yes, I have my wildlife permit, no they are not wild life, they are ranch mink. I know, but trust me, it take lots and lots of time effort and handling, and patience, much more than our ferrets.
They are used to do education. Most people have never seen a mink, and when they do, they put a face, an animal together with those clothing items made from the pelt. Ok, I am not going there, I digress and need to stay on topic.
Anyway, I needed to do a fecal float on his poop, looked a bit odd, but on my way to get the slides and items I needed to do the float, I realized that the one Old Timer needed his predsione. So I stop what I am doing, and go give meds.
Two days later, I finally got it done. I didn't like what I saw. Which means, that potentially I could have exposed the whole shelter population. So now, just to be safe, all the shelter kids are on meds. ALL 81 of them.
If the phone doesn't ring, and I don't have problems with medicating, it takes 5 hours to medicate them all. Now, that isn't doing water bowls, litter boxes or any of that, that is just to give medications. (Good at giving meds and want to help? Email Diane boopdi@yahoo.com) For the next five days, that is what I have to do.
Now if you add on the cage cleaning and litterboxes, then you are looking at a 15 hour day or more, providing no one calls, I have no vet runs, laundry, expect to take a shower, fund raising to do, supplies to pick up, and husband doesn't expect to get fed. Oh yeah, no surrenders.
So you see, I don't do it all. I fail most miserably at doing it all. That is why volunteers are so important.
All non profits life blood is volunteers. A shelter whether it is human or animal cannot continue with out volunteers. (And more than two or five or seven)
Actually, this is something I was thinking about while I was doing cages, I had such a great "blog" going in my head, and now it is gone, just bits and pieces of it. Man, and it sounded so good, so compelling!!
Ok, what it boils down to is this. All shelters need volunteers. Hospitals need volunteers, schools need volunteers, zoos need volunteers, libraries need volunteers.
So, pick your favorite, and volunteer 4 hours once a month. That isn't much, and it isn't often, but the amount that it will help the organization you choose to help is invaluable.
Can you imagine what it would be like if we could get people to do that? I mean, not just here, but everywhere. Can you imagine the impact that that could have on society? The impact it could have on the quality of life for humans and animals alike?
If everyone could do just 4 hours once a month to help their favorite group, charity, cause, the difference would be awe inspiring.
So here is to dreaming that someday it will happen.
I am really behind on the posting of the kids here (so what else is new? LOL!)
We are up to 81 kids, and have a waiting list for surrenders. Cleaning cages is a major job, it takes around 5 to 6 hours to clean 17 cages (cleaning them, wiping them down, clean litter box, fresh water, washing out the water bowl, changing bedding)
Oh yeah, 17 cages are in one room, the front room has 13, the hallway has one, the bedroom has one, and downstairs where the dining table was there is 8, plus the play pen.
So we can use help, I'll warn you ahead of time, it isn't easy, and it can get messy, it is hard work, and the ferrets love new people. Oh yeah, and all those ears to clean, nails to clip, and we really do need to give baths.
If you can't commit to hours at a time, but can commit to spending a couple of hours changing out water bowls and water bottles, that would be most welcome. You would have to commit to a time and follow through, because anything else that may need done that would involve me leaving would have to be arranged around your help.
For information on volunteering email Diane, our volunteer coordinator at: boopdi@yahoo.com, just remember, if you say you are going to show up, we need you to, or call.
Hopefully this coming week the couple who is making this a dream come true, the builder and I will get to see the plans, maybe even an "architectural Rendering" so I can scan it and put it up on the web site, and include it in donation letters and such.
Old man Weezie is amazing, he waddled around for an hour today. I am so happy for him. No problems so far. Talk about a poster boy for a miracle. Even if he does need lupron shots for the rest of his life, he is a miracle.
One last thing, thank you to everyone who reads this. Whether you realize it or not, this actually is a mental thing for me to do. I find it helpful, sometimes stress relieving, sometimes because this is a family site, when I really get frustrated, no one wants to hear that, trust me. LOL!!
And thank you to my volunteers that show up weekly, Jane and Diane. And then there is the group of ladies from the Akron area Laurie, Jane, Brenda, Kathy, and Rebecca, who make it in to Cleveland every month to help on a Saturday, more if they can work it into their schedule, but trust me, if we could get volunteers to come in once a month and have several groups do that, we would be in great shape.
You see, when I know that I don't have to worry about cages, I can work on fundraising projects, do vet runs, work on paper work, cage cards and even do ferret laundry. Which means if I get to do that during the day, I can actually make dinner once in awhile for hubby!!
Thanks folks! Time to go work on a flyer for the benefit concert.
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