Ferrets are going to be sold.  That's how we all acquired our ferrets in
one way or another, in case some of you had forgotten.  It sounds like
the Petsmart that sold the unsocialized and improperly cared-for ferrets
was an anomaly.  I just read an example of Petsmart taking very good care
of their ferrets.  There are always going to be pet stores that don't
provide the best care for the "products" they sell.  I'm not saying that
it's right or wrong.  I'm saying that is just how it is.
 
I want to remind people that the main problem is that ferrets are
"manufactured" at all.  Short history: Marshall Farms originally sold
ferrets to labs as lab animals, mostly to study viruses (I believe).
Ferrets became popular as pets.  Marshall started selling ferrets as
pets because we wanted them to.  The more we buy the more Marshall makes.
It's a business.  And we love our ferrets.  You could say that we're part
of the problem and it would be true.
 
There are at least two ways we can handle it.  We can try to get Marshall
and Path to stop selling ferrets to the general public (ain't gonna
happen) OR we can educate as many people as we can about the proper care
of ferrets.  Most people want to do the right thing.  I think that's the
way to go.
 
Now, I'm purposely avoiding calling the sale of ferrets right or wrong.
I don't know.  I'm not smart enough to think for the entire planet.  I
have ferrets.  Even the ferrets I've rescued have tattoos on their ears.
I don't want to be a hypocrite.  Do I object to ferrets being mistreated?
Of course I do.  I just think it's better to try and correct this one
ferret at a time.  I notice so many people on the list doing just that.
I think that's a whole lot better than slinging a few nasty electrons
around.
 
Sending an email to Petsmart is not going to stop Petsmart from selling
ferrets (or birds, or mice, or fish, ect.)  If you're in a Petsmart (or
any other pet store, for that matter) and you see ferrets being
improperly cared-for, just tell them.  Do this as nicely as you can.
Don't come across as the "enemy".  That never ends up being very
beneficial to the ferrets you're trying to help.  Just tell them about
what you noticed and how they might correct the problem.  Ferrets are
just about the most misunderstood pet on the planet, I think.  As I said
before, most people want to do the right thing.  They just have to know
what that is.
 
My two cents...
 
Roary
Albuquerque, NM
[Posted in FML issue 4695]