Due to some questions regarding the upcoming fall AFA sanctioned and
sponsored shows, the AFA would like to post our policy on how and why
someone would be banned from attending/showing/vending/etc. at AFA
sponsored or sanctioned events.
 
I have listed our original Policy on Banishment, as well as our new
policy pertaining to breeders who have been banned.
 
AFA Policy on Banishment from AFA Shows
 
Two American Ferret Association's goals are to conduct ferret shows in
a healthy disease free environment, and in an atmosphere where the
participants can be assured that competition is fair.  In order to
accomplish these goals, AFA has established a policy to ban individuals,
breeders, or shelters who have been found to have violated either of
these goals.  A person/breeder/shelter may be banned from showing,
attending, or having any participation in an AFA show.
 
A special committee (comprised of the AFA President, Vice-President,
Shows & Special Events Director and the Judges Administrator) will
investigate all allegations of unsportsmanlike conduct, animal neglect,
animal cruelty, or falsification of ferret information such as identity
of a ferret, age of ferret of age, date of birth, sire, dam, breeder,
vaccination information, ADV testing information or health status.  Since
it is the participant's responsibility to provide proper documentation,
the failure to provide such documentation will necessarily lead the
committee to a negative inference against the participant.
 
A written Notice of Banishment will be provided to the banned individual,
breeder or shelter.  The Notice shall contain the nature of the offense,
the effective date of the banishment period, and the termination date of
the banishment period.  If the ban is for 5 years or more, all points and
titles earned on ferrets owned by the banned party are forfeited.  If
ownership of a ferret from the banned party had been transferred prior
to the ban and this can be determined beyond a reasonable doubt to AFA's
Show Committee and Judges Administration Board, the AFA may allow that
ferret to be shown by its new owner.  No other ferret that was owned by
that person or facility may be shown in an AFA show (any class) for one
year from the date the ban was effective.
 
AFA Policy Pertaining to Breeders Banned from AFA Sanctioned Shows
 
* As of 2004, no ferret is permitted to show in the Breeder, Adolescent
or Alter Title Classes unless the ferret's sire and dam is listed, to
include the proper prefix [breeder of the ferret].
 
* Any ferret bred by a breeder that is banned from showing by the AFA
can not be shown in an AFA sanctioned show.
 
* Any ferret whose sire or dam was bred by a breeder that is banned from
showing by the AFA, yet who was not bred by a banned breeder, can only be
shown once they have been spayed or neutered.
 
* Any misrepresentation or omission of data pertaining to the breeder
of a ferret or the breeder of a ferret's sire or dam is grounds for the
individual(s) responsible for the offense to be banned.
 
If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me at
[log in to unmask]
 
Thank you!
 
Mary McCarty-Houser
Vice President, American Ferret Assn
www.ferret.org
[Posted in FML issue 4581]