The Symposium in St.  Louis will offer attendees a great opportunity for
discussion.  Let me explain what I mean.
 
Normally I stay out of pet store discussions.  It isn't because I don't
have opinions about the topic, but it is more because I think arguing
about it on this list accomplishes very little.
 
Personally, I would like nothing more then for pet stores to stop selling
any kind of living animal.  But, I also know that it is not likely to
happen any time soon.
 
Since we are not likely to stop pet stores from selling animals, what we
can do is try convince them to sell animals that are not too young, to
provide better housing in the stores, and to better train employees about
the care of the animals they are selling.
 
There are some legislative efforts out there, to set a minimum age of
sale, and there is also an effort to have USDA regulations put in place
to guarantee ferrets get better care when being shipped or when waiting
in stores to be purchased.  These are good efforts, and will help.
 
But, another thing that will help is to educate the pet store owners.
The problem there is that many of the stores selling ferrets are chain
stores, and so the education needs to start at the corporate level, and
they are often hard to reach.
 
At the St. Louis Symposium, attendees will have the chance to meet and
talk to people from upper management from 2 of the larger pet store
chains - PETSMart and PetCO.
 
Dr. Mike Staitman from PETSMart's corporate office will be attending, and
will even be hosting a table topic during Saturday's lunch to explain the
PETSMart philosophy on selling ferrets.  Additionally, Mark Henderson, a
PetCO Regional Manager, will also be attending.  PetCO will have a vendor
table, but will not be selling items.  Instead, they will have samples
and other giveaways for people who stop by.
 
So, this is a great chance for people to talk to members of upper
management in these 2 chains, and express our concerns about the sale of
ferret kits.  It is a chance for us to explain to them about the many
shelters across the country that are too full and operating on shoestring
budgets because people purchase ferrets and then decide they are not the
right pet.  It is a chance to to explain about the health problems that
can come from having kits sold at too young an age.  It is also a chance
for us to explain why pet store employees need to be familiar with
ferrets, and the care they need, so that unknowing people don't buy them
and then provide inadequate care.
 
It appears that these 2 chains are reaching out to the ferret community.
Now, some cynics may think this gesture is just to try and generate more
sales and more income for the stores, and that may be true.  However, I
am willing to give them the benefit of a doubt, and try to open lines of
communication with them.  I am hoping that others who will be at the
Symposium will try and do the same.
 
It is important that we show them respect, and keep our conversations
with them civil.  If we hit them hard and start making a scene, they are
likely to write us off as lunatics.  As the saying goes, you attract more
flies with honey then with vinegar, and so in approaching them, we should
be careful to keep this in mind.
 
Now, I am not saying we shouldn't let them know the problems they
sometimes (perhaps unknowingly)create.  I have every intention of letting
Mark from PetCO know about the kits infected with ADV that people have
purchased at PetCO's in my area.  I also intend to bring up the fact that
there have been kits in PetCO's in my area that have had distemper.  But,
I will do in calmly and civilly, and hope that they will listen.
 
I also intend to explain ways that they can help to avoid these problems
in the future.  If they only purchase kits from farms that test their
breeding stock for ADV, and use distributors that practice careful
sanitation practices, they are less likely to have kits with ADV.  And,
if they purchase older kits that have been properly vaccinated, they are
less likely to have distemper problems.  It is important to remember
that when pointing out problems, it helps to also provide suggestions
for workable solutions.
 
I may be a dreamer, but I see this experience as a chance to start a new
relationship between chain pet stores and the ferret community.  I hope
others attending the Symposium will also see it this way, and will take
advantage of the situation to try and make some progress for the good of
ferrets.
 
--
Danee
International Ferret Congress Health Issues Coordinator
http://ferretcongress.org
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
For more information visit: http://www.ferretadv.com
[Posted in FML issue 4849]