Hi,
 
I do need to clarify a few statements from Denise's post yesterday about
the safety of Super Pet Products and all pet products.
 
First, I just wanted to say that I can really sympathize with Denise, I am
a true ferret lover (along with my dogs and cats) and I know how hard it
is to lose a pet.  I think Denise is very upset, like any one of us would
be if we just lost one of our ferrets.  Sometimes when we are really upset
like this, we say things out of "pain, anger, and hurt" rather than all the
true facts.  I only need to clarify a few statements.
 
I believe what Denise is trying to say is, it is always very important to
check the durability of any cage accessory.  Sometimes even the smallest
imperfection can cause terrible problems.  Always take extra time to
inspect anything you put in your cage.  There is complete truth to this
statement...
 
>I also asked about how these Ferret Items were tested for safety and Joe
>said that most were imported from other countries and that he didn't know
>if they even tested Our Ferrets Hammocks.
 
As with *most* products available for sale in the USA, most are made in
countries other than the USA, BUT trust me, most pet manufacturers TEST
the products that they sell.  I don't know where Super Pet's products are
made - but the packages will tell you what country they were made in.  I
don't want anyone to think after reading this that I said pet manufacturers
don't test their products.  What I did say was, "I don't know the standards
that any company specifically tests their products to".  Remember,
regardless of where the goods are made, a company is putting thousands upon
thousands of dollars into producing and marketing the product.  It would be
a bad investment for any company to spend tons of money to sell a product
that is going to cause them to lose a lot of money.  The best way to know
how well a company tests their products is to contact the manufacturer
themselves to ask how they test their products, but please don't think
for one minute that pet manufacturers "don't test" their products...
 
>While talking with Joe I then found out that several items had been
>recalled by Super Pets like The Hanging Playpen for Ferrets.
 
OH MY, NO!!!  Not recalled.  Recalled is the wrong word.  What Denise and
I talked about on the phone was... I was telling Denise that Super Pet is
very responsive to consumer requests, and they are always trying to modify
their products based on what customers ask for.  Over the past year, they
have "improved" their Hanging Playpen for Ferrets by changing the material
from a canvas to cotton, and changing from chains to regular stronger
fabric attachments.  They did this because they are trying to make the
products better, this is not the same as a recall.  There was nothing truly
"wrong" with the previous model, they simply wanted to REDESIGN the model
to be more pet and consumer friendly.
 
My heart goes out to Denise, and everyone who has lost a ferret or any pet.
 
Take care,
 
Joe Palko
The Ferret Store
[Posted in FML issue 3189]