Okay, here is my take on the rumor mill, and on improving how ferrets are
treated as a non-breeder who has taken in ferrets in need, as someone who
devotes hours every day to
<http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth>,
and as someone who has first hand seen so much of the two years of hard
work which have gone into finally getting us to a place where we can
improve federal standards to help ferrets.
 
If someone witnesses serious animal abuse by a breeder but does not
report it that allows the crime to continue and -- to me -- it signifies
a lack of concern for the animals.
 
I also worry about a lack of concern for the animals when I see
conditions such as these in an original farm:
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSCF0003.JPG
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSCF0007.JPG
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/dscf0093.jpg
* http://ferrets.htmlplanet.com/cgi-bin/i/images/Ferretry2.jpg
 
To trace back which farm these are from just plug in the beginning of the
address; it may surprise some people who have hearing allegations about
others which the alleging party claims to be unable to prove but to have
witnessed and not reported to see conditions that person was comfortable
having in her own farm.  Remember that among the things which the
interested vets have mentioned to the USDA as needing improvement are
ferrets being exposed to all sorts of weather and ferrets who do not
have enough protection from animals which can pose attack risk, or can
transmit diseases ferrets can also get.
 
Are there some bad breeders among the non-farm breeders?  Of course there
are.  Have reputable ferret people been trying to shut these places down?
You bet they have.  Have reputable ferret organizations like SOS and the
more recently formed ELF of the IFC been providing aid to shelters who
take in those ferrets?  Yes, they have.  So have a huge number of FML
members.  Have any of these people witnessed blatant animal abuse and
then ignored it, only to make allegations later about a broad group?
Well, I think we know that just isn't likely to happen even once, let
alone multiple times when such kind souls are involved.  So why would
someone join us and expect we FML members to just accept that sort of
statement within unproven allegations?
 
If the USDA sets higher standards for ferrets that commitment can perhaps
be used in animal abuse trials to illustrate that the government doesn't
consider ferrets to be throw-away pets, but ones with real value who
deserve good care.  The only ones who might lose by improving standards
would be those whose focus is only profits, or those who favor animal
abuse.  Ferrets benefit.  People who add ferrets to their families
benefit.  Shelters may even benefit since those too young and failing
kits are among the most heartbreaking animals turned over to them.  We
have an opportunity right now for a short while to make long held ferret
community dreams to help ferrets become a reality.
 
It also worries me when any business' own letters are self contradictory
about such things as what age ferrets are shipped, and when that same
business tries to behave as if dental aging does not exist -- especially
when it has been used to age kits such as this one:
http://www.ferretwise.org/
and when it has been known about and in ferret vet texts since the late
80s.  Ditto when false statements about current transport regulations
are made.
 
It gets under my skin when a person publicly claims to be in support
of the work to improve the APHIS/USDA standards for ferrets -- which
would save ferret lives and help ferret people have healthier kits join
their families, BUT I have read her letter on the USDA website and it
concentrates on discouraging the USDA from treating ferret kits as if
they have value enough to be worth protection.  It doesn't make me any
more trusting to have read her posts here which appear -- to me -- to be
blatantly designed to distract and discourage FML members from taking any
action to make sure that ferrets get better protection in the U.S. by
making totally unfounded claims about totally unnamed others.  It doesn't
help when a person says, "I support changes" but then the person goes
about undermining the work of so many here.  Actions speak louder than
words.  Saying one thing then doing another may be something we expect
to find in too many politicians, but we should not have to expect others
to do that on list while assuming that we are too naive to spot it.
Besides, I consider using verbal slight of hand to prevent members from
protecting themselves and ferrets as yet more insulting to the
intelligence of the FML membership.
 
IF SOMEONE HERE ACTUALLY WANTS TO HELP FERRETS, then don't let the wool
be pulled over your eyes.  If we are going to help them we need to make
sure to let APHIS/USDA know how we feel.  It is very easy to do.  Just
send a letter mentioning that ferrets should not be shipped before the
age of 8 weeks, when they are old enough to safely deal with being fully
weaned and placed on a typical diet, and that you would like to see the
USDA's Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) use standards which
have been designed by ferret vets for farms, the transportation they use,
and their distributors.  If there is more you want to add in relation to
farms, distributors, and their transportation you certainly can do so.
 
Send your letter (the original and 3 copies -- so just print out 4
copies):
 
Docket No. 04-088-1
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71
4700 River Road Unit 118
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238
 
Let your vet and vet techs know, too!
 
If you would like your letter to be first checked by a discreet FML
member for spelling and grammar, Alexandra who writes for "Ferrets"
has made that offer: [log in to unmask]
 
Four sheets of regular printer paper and an envelope will work with
one 37 cent stamp.  You can get those in most grocery stores and any
post office.
 
If you, yourself had a ferret whose health was impaired by being sent
too young, or for whom you had to take special measures due to young age
then let them know, and if you incurred great cost due to that also let
them know about the cost as well as the work and heartbreak.
 
To learn more see the International Ferret Congress site:
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
Click open
"Details on the original Petition for Rulemaking, the USDA's request for
input, and how the whole process works are here."
and then navigate by clicking open the sections that interest you.
 
and also be sure to see the American Ferret Association site:
http://www.ferret.org/
Click open
"The USDA Requests YOUR Input About Ferret-Specific Regulations Under
the Animal Welfare Act!  Deadline to Submit Letters: November 18, 2005"
and navigate by clicking open subjects of interest.
 
We are running out of time and distractions which keep you from writing
your letter only serve to undermine the most successful -- so far --
attempt to improve federal standards for ferrets.  If you don't write
your letter that is one less chance ferrets have of being protected as
much as they deserve to be and need to be.  Don't let all that work be
lost just because someone is saying to you, "Look at my hands.  Look
up my sleeves.  Abracadabra."  You and your ferrets are worth more than
that.
 
-- Sukie (not a vet)
Ferret Health List co-moderator
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives fan
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
replacing
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
International Ferret Congress advisor
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5029]