1 The GCFA shelter is staffed by volunteers supporting ferrets in need of a loving and forever home. Located in a storefront, our space is limited and used to its fullest extent. If you would like to visit the shelter, please make an appointment so that, as our guest, you can have quality time with our volunteers and fuzzies. Our volunteer staff is limited and extremely busy with the ferret population’s needs.
•All visits to the shelter are by appt
•An appt does not guarantee an adoption
•All adoptions subject to approval of staff
•Please call the shelter for appt
Pricing details available at time of adoption
< $100 per ferret
(Cash/Check or Charge)
•An appt does not guarantee an adoption
•All adoptions subject to approval of staff
•Please call the shelter for appt
Pricing details available at time of adoption
< $100 per ferret
(Cash/Check or Charge)
2 You will find detail below about the requirements for adoption and the process. If you meet the requirements and are interested in adopting please call the shelter for more information at 708.442.8650
ADOPTION
We follow strict guidelines when we adopt ferrets out of our care because we want to make sure they're going to a loving and FOREVER home.
Adoption Requirements
- You must be adopting the ferret for yourself.
- You must agree to take full responsibility for the animal(s), including daily care (fresh food and water and exercise), annual shots, vet care when needed, and ensure a safe environment.
- We do not adopt ferrets out to families with children under 5 years of age. Small children like to grab things and since ferrets bounce merrily about, the child might injure the ferret. Likewise the ferret does not know the child is just trying to play and may bite to defend itself.
- We do not adopt ferrets to people in ‘ferret free’ zones.
- We do not adopt ferrets to/for institutional situations.
- You must be at least 18 years old or be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or head of the household who is at least 18 years old. Our adoption contract is a legal document and must be signed by someone of legal age.
- We do charge an adoption fee for our ferrets as that fee helps us defray our shelter costs and medical fees. A non-member, who is adopting for the first time, is given a one-year membership in our association and may attend all meetings and functions held by the GCFA.
- Please call the shelter as 708.442.8650 for an adoption screening and appointment today!
PROGRAM
This program is the heart and soul of the GCFA shelter. As much as we love each and every one of the ferrets that comes through our doors, we know that the ultimate goal is to get them all back out those doors and into a loving FOREVER home!
Adoption Process
- All prospective adopters will be screened by the shelter staff.
- There is an initial screening by phone and a questionnaire to be completed in person when you arrive at the shelter. Our questions are an important step towards ensuring that the ferrets are placed in a forever home by our adoption volunteers and your patience is greatly appreciated.
- After you have found the perfect fuzzie companion for you, and possibly your other furry friends, the ferret to be adopted will be vaccinated and need to remain under the watchful eye of the volunteer adoption staff for at least 15 minutes to ensure there are no adverse reactions.
- During the waiting period, our volunteer adoption staff will discuss your adoption contract, fees and any additional information about the ferret you are about to take home.
- Please plan on being at the shelter for at least an hour to complete your adoption.
FOSTER
PROGRAM
Do you have room in your heart and home to help us take care of our wonderful ferrets? Being a Foster Parent really does save lives! It is one of the most loving and kind things you can do, and you receive the wonderful feeling of knowing that you are saving the life of a ferret in need.
Our foster ferrets can live for years on maintenance drugs so we ask those interested in being foster parents for a $50.00 drug maintenance fee, per year, to help off-set the cost of the maintenance drugs. This fee is per year and not per foster ferret.
Fostering Requirements & Rules
- Prospective foster homes participants will be 18 years of age or older
- If you are not a home owner, you must have written approval of the landlord or owner of the domicile that the ferrets will be brought into
- You must be a GCFA member in good standing
- You must have a minimum of 5 years experience in handling and caring for ferrets
- Foster ferrets are still the responsibility of the GCFA and foster homes represent temporary placement. The GCFA has final say on all matters concerning the treatment and final disposition of the ferret.
- Foster homes will be financially responsible for providing housing, food, water and non-medical needs of the foster ferret. This includes special diets that may be needed by the pet.
- The GCFA will be financially responsible for all veterinary examinations, diagnostic testing, surgery and medication fees incurred by the foster animal. All medical work will be done at Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital. If veterinary fees are incurred at other veterinary hospitals for any reason, the GCFA will not be financially responsible for reimbursing the foster home participant.
- All prospective foster home participants will need to complete an application form and an interview with the Shelter Director or other staff designated by the Shelter Director.
Maintenance Drugs:
- Metronidazole (Flagyl)
- Prednisolone
- Clavamox
- Melatonin Implant
NEEDS
✓ CASH DONATIONS
✓ CHICKEN BABY FOOD
✓ WOOD STOVE PELLETS (Menards)
✓ PAPER TOWELS
✓ Sun & Earth deep cleaning laundry detergent
✓ Marshall’s ferret food
✓ Totally Ferret food*
✓ 13, 30 & 55 gallon trash bags
✓ Laxatone (or Laxastat)
✓ “Ferrets for Dummies” book by Kim Shilling (new or used)
✓ brother TN-330 Toner Cartridge-for shelter printer
✓ Bedding Material - thin fleece
✓ Ferret Nation Cages - New or Used
✓ CHICKEN BABY FOOD
✓ WOOD STOVE PELLETS (Menards)
✓ PAPER TOWELS
✓ Sun & Earth deep cleaning laundry detergent
✓ Marshall’s ferret food
✓ Totally Ferret food*
✓ 13, 30 & 55 gallon trash bags
✓ Laxatone (or Laxastat)
✓ “Ferrets for Dummies” book by Kim Shilling (new or used)
✓ brother TN-330 Toner Cartridge-for shelter printer
✓ Bedding Material - thin fleece
✓ Ferret Nation Cages - New or Used
*Please donate directly to our food account at Totally Ferret/Performance Foods:
Contact Liz at 1-877-545-5462, and tell her you wish to donate directly to the GCFA shelter’s food account. Visa and MasterCard accepted. Or, mail you check or money order donation to:
Liz Lovins
Performance Foods
575 Burbank Suite H
Broomfield CO, 80021
(Make your check payments out to Performance Foods and note the GCFA’s account #50ILG0590).
Contact Liz at 1-877-545-5462, and tell her you wish to donate directly to the GCFA shelter’s food account. Visa and MasterCard accepted. Or, mail you check or money order donation to:
Liz Lovins
Performance Foods
575 Burbank Suite H
Broomfield CO, 80021
(Make your check payments out to Performance Foods and note the GCFA’s account #50ILG0590).
This is a sample of the ferrets at the shelter. Some ferrets that may be eligible for the foster program or that are very young may not be shown here.
Unable to Launch Flash Player
This message is being displayed because the browser was unable to load the Flash Player required to display this content.
There are several possible causes for this;
- Your current Flash Player is outdated or it is not installed on your system. Download the latest Flash Player.
- Your browser does not have JavaScript enabled, this is required to load the Flash content.
- The Theme file used to generate this site may be missing the required JavaScript to launch the Flash player.
The GCFA shelter does not currently board ferrets but we have provided some links.