NOw to start arguing about whether folks should or should not be
educated... whether stores should or should not sell ferrets -- IS NOT
THE CURRENT ISSUE..  THe ISSUE IS that this IS NOT the only ferret who
has been in this circumstance.  AND we need to find a way to EDUCATE
buyers adn retailers to try to eliminate the repeat of this scenario.
(I DON'T CARE WHAT STORE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT!!!!!  Mom & Pop stores
or large corporate stores - we need to have an insurance plan for the
ferrets caught in this web.)
 
SECONDLY- our organization had been requested to INSTRUCT AT THAT
PARTICULAR PETCO store , had met several times with store personnel, had
left contact information etc.  WE WERE ASSURED that SHOULD SUCH A FERRET
be at the store, they would contact us and place him with the shelter so
we could train and properly home him.
 
WERE THEY OBLIGATED TO DO SO -- of course not.  BUT it IS in the best
interest of the store- and in the best interest of the ferret to do so.
 
WOULD IT HAVE COST THEM ( Petco) ANYTHING TO DO SO?  Of course not -
because Marshall Farms will replace the ferret - if they have paperwork
showing it was not saleable and turned over to a recognized shelter.
This has been an arrangement in the past-- in other cases we HAVE BEEN
ALLOWED to handle such cases ( by the same store in fact).
 
and IF this course had been followed.-- NO FERRET WOULD BE FACING
EUTHANASIA, NO CHILD WOULD BE REPORTED TO THE STATE.  simple as that.
A good hearted woman's life has been turned upside down, THIS WAS NOT
HER CHOICE-- IT DID HAPPEN!
 
NOW A young child is in fear of ferrets, authorities are now alerted
and ALL BECAUSE it was easier ( less corporate hoops to jump) to sell
the ferret outright than place it with the shelter .  That was the point
- is the point of the post.
 
DO I THINK Deaf or Neural crest ferrets should be sold - NOPE not to
folks that have no understanding of the implications-- but it IS done so
we do the best we can.  Part of our original post was to alert folks this
DOES HAPPEN.  That is part of EDUCATION.  Why so many folks have turned
this into a debate on who defines deafness or who manages to work with
their deaf ferrets is far beyond the point IMO.  Ozzie may not have been
allowed to live-- due to his particular circumstances.... we hope that
situation has been circumvented.
 
AND I will make sure you know once he has safely been settled into the
shelter.... meanwhile no I will not say where Ozzie is... or how he will
arrive-- lets just ask for good thoughts.  While you are all discussing
what you did differently lets actually see if your circumstances fit the
storyline, I somehow doubt it this time.
 
And on the point of in store education: Petco's have their own
information that SHOULD be available near the ferret displays.  As such
they do NOT welcome printed materials from outside their corporate
offices.  We do however furnish ferret care guides to several local
MOm & Pop retialers as I am sure many other ferret organizations do.
As far as cost summaries- would you purchase a vehicle for the first
time if someone showed you an sheet illustrating what the cost of fuel,
maintentence, registration & license fees etc., etc was going to be ?
Maybe not.  That information form a corporate view is NOT profitable!
Caveat Emptor- LEt the buyer beware- I am sure many of you have heard
this term.  It applies to anything you buy- living animals or furniture!
 
In this case the purchaser was aware and did her best-- the condition
of the animal which was not known to her defeated her adn escalated the
current situation.  I hope that this long post has somewhat explains the
current issues at hand with the ferret we look forward to hugging
tomorrow SUNDAY!.
 
Alicia , shelter MOm
www.ferretwise.org
[Posted in FML issue 4885]