>From:    Ron Fraser <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret Snatching ?
>Although I have been a member of the FML for several years and have posted
>in the past in my own name, I have elected to post this anonymously.
 
If I had done what you did, I would have posted annonymously, too BUT...
I would have posted it correctly to: [log in to unmask], Ron
Fraser.  :-)
 
[Moderator's note: If that was only true!  I screwed up BIG time (no pun
intended, I think) and misrouted that post which was indeed sent to the
anonymous address.  Definitely lack of sleep at Ferrets 2000, but I take
full responsibility nonetheless.  BIG]
 
>I live in a small town in Kansas where there are few families with
>ferrets, ours being the largest group.  Last week I drove over to the home
>of a lady who owns two ferrets and parked my car in the alley behind her
>house, I went to her front door and told her that I was taking her two
>ferrets away from her.
 
I re-read this several times thinking that I must have missed something.
What possessed you to do this?  You don't give us any clue WHY you felt
compelled to take this woman's ferrets except that they were in the garage.
From what I understand, many people keep their ferrets in garages, on front
porches, back porches, in pens in their yard,... Who told you about these
ferrets?  Had you been there previously to determine their living
conditions?  Had you tried to educate this woman?  If the ferrets were
abused or neglected, you have taught her nothing about caring for them
better.  She might go out and get more!  Seems to me, this might have
been an opportunity to educate her about ferret care.  Part of being a
responsible ferret owner is educating others about them, not stealing them.
 
If there was a valid reason to steal ferrets, you should have called Animal
Control or the Humane Society to back you up *legally*.
 
>Over her protests
 
All I have to say is had you come to MY house, you would have had more than
protests... you would have had  an @ss full of buckshot!  Or maybe I would
have "let" you steal the ferrets and then had you arrested for theft.
 
>The former owner has made no effort to reclaim her ferrets and even if she
>did I would not return them to her.
 
How do you know she's made no effort?  I think you would have no legal
choice BUT to return them.  You took them without permission... that is
stealing.  You are in possession of "hot" ferrets.  You are wrong.  Even
if the animals were neglected, your actions made you *more* wrong.
 
I still don't know the point of your post.  If you are looking for some
"attaboys", you won't get it from me unless I know more details.  And even
then, you probably still won't get it because what you did was illegal.
Anytime an animal should be removed from it's home, it should be done with
the law backing you up.
 
As far as I'm concerned, vigilantism has no place in pet "education"
unless/until ALL legal avenues have been explored.
 
Renee
 
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Looking for some ferret people in your area?  Then check out the
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[Posted in FML issue 3178]