>>>Marshall Farms is the ONLY farm we have heard of that ever had a
>>>permanent position for a vet working on staff.
>>
>>Nope, not the only one.
>
>Danielle, which other farm?  I have not read or heard of any others with
>one actually on-staff, but instead of ones using weekly visits by a
>contracted vet.
 
Path Valley claims to work with a vet all the time.  Ask Marc Morrone,
not me.  I am going by what PV has told me.  At least they respond to
questions, so there is your comparison to Marshall Farms, as well.
 
To the person who posted something to the effect of contacting the Better
Business Bureau, I have.  This same person also posted about visiting the
business if you have a problem with them.  I have tried.  MF wont allow
it.  Now do you get it?  I have called and voiced complaints and now I am
writing a letter (book, in actuality).
 
To Sandi Ackerman, please provide where I can go to obtain this newsletter
with what you state in it.  I recall that you already had a "beef" with
Totally Ferret in the past, so unless you can provide this newsletter,
it is hard for me to rely on the information.  If it is true, I will
personally call Totally Ferret to find out what the deal is.
 
Sukie keeps reiterating "fake" entries by others into databases.  She has
privately informed me that 15-20% of the information she has experienced
has been "fake".  We are taking many precautions to prevent this from
happening.  However, even if 20% are "fake" entries, at least the other
80% wont be, so I will take the "margin of error" into account (even
though I think it will be even less).  Since I am not a scientist,
biologist or vet, this is the only way I can gather information.  I am
not rich so hiring someone who is, wouldn't be a possibility.  Now if a
university came forward and wanted to devote some research to this, that
would be fabulous but what interest would they have in it?  It isn't for
medical science purposes.
 
I also considered a few things that I am sure MF will try to "weasel" out
of.  One of the things will be the shipping concerns.  They will probably
try to tell me (again) that the airlines regulate it and they could have
taken the food out of the crate, etc...I have already taken this into
consideration and I am contacting the airlines they ship through about
this to see what they have to say.  Better for me to have the information
ready to debate if it is the excuse MF tries to use.  I have also
addressed the preposterous notion of MF "fakes" being so widespread.  I
have Petco Managers who can verify that the MFs are shipped from MF not
another supplier or distributor.  That excuse does not hold water.  I
don't know if this excuse or idea originated from someone at MF or if one
of the FMLers has just taken it further?  It will certainly be addressed.
 
Monday is the last day I am going to try to reach Peter Reid.  Then I
will be writing my letter (book) to the sources I listed previously.  In
addition, I have thought of other sources to send this to...the airlines
they use to get the animals here.  Airlines don't need bad PR right now
so I think it would get noticed.  If MF cannot find a way to ship ferrets,
then the ferrets wont make it to the stores!  AHA!  I stumbled across an
even larger idea.  I am sure, also, that the airlines will shudder when I
tell them that MF has suggested (Deborah, one of the higher-ups at MF)
that the airlines could have been responsible for the poor shipping and
lack of food in the crates.  I bet the airlines wont take too kindly to
that!  MF has really made a big mistake in what they have told me and a
huge mistake in not having the owner contact me.  I am now on a "mission".
 
Furthermore, I am extremely happy to have met those who are just as
concerned and ready to take action as I am.  Even better that most are
East Coast.  I must also state that Heather is an excellent writer!
She needs to write for publications.
 
As far as the report of the ALF breaking into MF, I searched high and low
for info on this yesterday when I heard the rumor.  I even went to the ALF
site and emailed the webmaster for confirmation of this, (not that ALF did
it) and she knew nothing of it.  If someone could post where this article
or info exists, I would love to read it (and pass it along to her)!
 
Thanks for being civil, all of you.
[Posted in FML issue 3626]