The Building Survey, and a rant

Well, we have gotten 78 Building Surveys. Here is the results, and after this a few of the questions raised are answered, and I raise a few of my own questions.

Do you think a freestanding ferret shelter is a workable idea? 65 Yes
13 NoWould you volunteer at a freestanding ferret shelter? 53 yes25 No
Would you donate to a freestanding ferret shelter? 60 yes 18 No
Would you become involved with fund raising events for a freestanding ferret shelter? 41 yes
37 NoDo you think it is different if a shelter mom/dad leaves a home-based shelter to go to work for 10 hours or they leave a freestanding shelter to go home for 10 hours? 39 Yes
39 no

I find it very interesting that it is a tie.

I had assumed that most people know that I am not working, and have not been able to find a job since I had cancer and had the hamstring removed from my leg.

Many times when I could work, I worked two jobs to support the shelter.

First, I don’t understand how it is different if I go to work for 10 hours, and the ferrets are here in the house alone while I am at work, or if I leave a shelter building and go home to be with my family and my own pets for 10 hours.

Right now as it is, and it is in many other home based shelters, the shelter op does not get a break. There is no quiet space; I understand that this is very hard for people to understand.

Here is an example. I love Christmas. I love to decorate, I love to have family and friends over, and I love to cook. There was no Christmas celebration here, there was no gathering of family and friends (normally this is the place for those who have no one or nowhere to go). There is no separation of personal space and shelter. The shelter has grown so LARGE, the dining room is now another shelter room, the office is a large storage room, the kitchen has become project central for fundraising projects, a spare table has become the desk. There is no room to breath for the human.
Litter boxes are washed in the same sink I wash dishes.

It gets frustrating when you get rude or argumentative people asking, well why can’t I come over at 8 PM, you live there, what is the big deal? Moreover, there is that grant thing. I am a bit frustrated right now, so please do not take things wrong.
Perhaps later I will include more of the comments and answers, but for now, I think it shows that there is at least support in theory.

Yes, only in theory, why you ask? Well, the lack of volunteers to help, the lack of support at fundraisers, the donations that have become non-existent.

We have gotten a few over the Christmas season, but it does not even come close to feed these guys for a month.

We go through 96 pounds of food a month minimum right now. In addition, the extras like probiotics, and duck soup. We use 32 ounces of duck soup a DAY. That is only for the ones who need it, or have to be supplemented.

We go through 120 lbs of Equine Fresh a week (Tractor Supply, crush feline pine type of product). I do a minimum of 20 loads of ferret laundry a week, and Jane does at least 8 herself.

Bleach is used like crazy here; bleach is my friend is our motto. Paper towel are our friend too.

There are 18 ferrets that need to go to the vet for various reasons, mast cells, adrenal, check ups.

Ok, there is support there in theory, but in reality, where is it? There are several programs that would be beneficial for the shelter as far as getting hands on help, and when I speak to the co-coordinators, they get excited at the prospect of being able to become involved, then the I say, “Temporarily the shelter is in my home. Does that make a difference?” I then hear, “Yes, it does. When the shelter is moved, we will be more than happy to help.”

Yes, I am very frustrated. We had a contest, design a Squidoo Lens. It cost nothing to enter; the lens that was most popular won their choice of prizes.

There is a name the Car Rally contest, and again, no cost to enter, but win a $25 Gift Card. Six entries, four from the same person.

You see, I can see the end result of a building, no one else can, they keep coming up with the problems the shelter faces now in the home setting. No one hears that there are programs and solutions for some of the problems.

There are several community service programs, but the shelter is in a private home. There is grant money out there, we qualify for but the shelter is in a private home.

The shelter owns property, there is a majority of the funds promise, but it seems we cannot make up the difference. No matter how hard I try and how hard I beg people to become involved, keep your word, and do what you say you are going to do.

Now, I need help to organize the car rally and the bike run. I need someone that can be trusted to go out and hit up businesses for donations of items for raffle prizes, goodie bags for the people who show their car, and donations of food, so we can have an area to purchase food items. Pop, water, you name it.

Why a car rally? Because everything else I have tried does not work. So, time to think further out of the box.

So, do I have any takers?