Ferret Association Of Connecticut Inc

THE FERRET ASSOCIATION IS FOCUSED ON THE WELFARE OF DOMESTIC FERRETS. TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES, WE PROVIDE INFORMATION TO CARETAKERS, ADVOCATE FOR THEIR PROTECTION AND SAFE TREATMENT, AND SUPPORT SHELTER EFFORTS FOR ANIMALS LOST OR ABANDONED.

SHELTER SERVICES: DEDICATED SHELTER FOR LOST OR ABANDONED DOMESTIC FERRETS; PERMANENT FOSTER CARE OF ILL/ELDERLY ANIMALS. IN 2022, 95 ANIMALS WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE SHELTER. 54 WERE SURRENDERED DIRECTLY FROM SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND OWNERS UNABLE/UNWILLING TO PROVIDE CARE. 7 HAD BEEN ABANDONED OUTDOORS. 34 WERE RELEASED FROM MEDICAL RESEARCH FACILITIES. 49 WERE ADOPTED INTO CAREFULLY-SCREENED NEW HOMES, 28 WERE TRANSFERRED TO 7 OTHER SHELTERS, AND 8 WERE PLACED INTO PERMANENT FOSTER CARE. AN AVERAGE OF 21 ANIMALS WERE CARED FOR IN 2022 UNDER THIS UNIQUE PROGRAM, WHICH PLACES ANIMALS UNLIKELY TO BE ADOPTED DUE TO AGE OR ILLNESS INTO A SCREENED VOLUNTEER HOME, WHERE THEY LIVE FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES AND ARE FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED BY THE ORGANIZATION. AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2022, THE FERRET ASSOCIATION HAS CARED FOR 2,219 FERRETS OVER THE COURSE OF OUR 32-YEAR HISTORY.

SUPPORT FOR OTHER FERRET SHELTER INCLUDES: 1.) THE FERRET SHELTERS DIRECTORY. THE DIRECTORY (WWW.FERRETSHELTERS.ORG) IS AN ONLINE, SEARCHABLE DATABASE OF PLACES THAT ACCEPT AND PLACE FERRETS. CREATED & ADMINISTERED BY THE FERRET ASSOCIATION, LISTINGS ARE FREE FOR SHELTERS AND PUBLIC USERS. IN 2022, 46,200 UNIQUE USERS VISITED THE DIRECTORY. THERE WERE 59,400 SESSIONS WITH 3,390,000 PAGE VIEWS. 2.) EMERGENCY FUNDS FACILITATION: NON-US SHELTERS MAY ENCOUNTER SPECIAL RESCUES FOR WHICH US DONORS WISH TO CONTRIBUTE. COLLECTING THOSE US FUNDS INTO A TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED FUND & TRANSFERRING IN A LUMP SUM AVOIDS FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS FEES ON EACH SMALL DONATION. NO FEE TO THE DONOR OR SHELTER IS CHARGED.

PUBLIC EDUCATION: WEBSITE, PRINT NEWSLETTER, INFO REQUEST RESPONSES. AN AVERAGE OF 50 INDIVIDUALS PER MONTH REQUEST HEALTH, CARE OR BEHAVIOR INFORMATION AND ARE ANSWERED FREE OF CHARGE. INQUIRIES ARE GENERATED VIA OUR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, AND PHONE. OUR FACEBOOK PAGE HAS ALMOST 2,600 FOLLOWERS. A TOTAL OF 46,300 UNIQUE USERS VISITED OUR WEBSITE IN 2022, WITH A TOTAL 56,000 SESSIONS AND 166,000 PAGE VIEWS.

LABORATORY FERRET RESCUE. WHILE WE HAVE ACCEPTED & REHOMED FERRETS FROM ONE FACILITY FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, IN 2022 WE CONNECTED WITH A SECOND RESEARCH INSTITUTION. IN LATE DECEMBER, 19 FERRETS WERE RELEASED INTO OUR CARE FROM THAT FACILITY. 17 WERE TRANSFERRED TO TRUSTED SHELTER PARTNERS, ALONG WITH FUNDING FOR CARE, MICROCHIPS, VACCINES, AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES. IN TOTAL, 34 FORMER LABORATORY FERRETS WERE RELEASED TO US IN 2022. OUR PLAN IS TO BUILD UPON THIS BASE TO CONNECT WITH MORE RESEARCH FACILITIES.