There is so much about this posting that is just absurd, but the one
point that I want to make has to do with the poster's assertion that:

>Doug is a kindly old man barely staying alive.

My point here is that if you do in fact know Doug McKay, and if
his health IS in such a fragile state, as even his own family has
confirmed, then wouldn't the best thing FOR ALL INVOLVED be to convince
him to STOP TRYING TO RUN A BUSINESS??? If he can't even take care
of himself, then how in the world can he take care of hundreds or
thousands of ferrets? You have helped us make our point that his
FARM, and that's what it is, is POORLY RUN.

Pictures don't lie. Eyewitness accounts don't lie. Those trying to
defend Doug McKay *might* lie if their opinions are clouded by their
personal feelings for the man. Well, to Doug McKay's family and
friends, if you DO care about the man, OR the ferrets, then why not
talk to him and try to convince him that it would be best for him not
to live his dwindling days surrounded by controversy and impending
lawsuits for animal cruelty. Convince him to do what's best for himself
AND the ferrets he supposedly cares about. He has a way out of this
before it does get difficult and perhaps ugly. There are MANY people
here who would work with him to shut down the operation and assure
that his stock was properly cared for. It's best to get some kind
of compensation when you close a business, rather than get nothing,
which is what it may come down to if legal actions continue to be
pursued and his stock is seized.

Or worst yet for Doug, if he is taken to court for hundreds or
thousands of counts of cruelty to animals, and if he were to lose
such a case, he would be fined more than he could ever pay, and lose
everything. Each count of animal cruetly, if convicted, carries a fine
of $750. Multiply that times the number of ferrets in his possession.
That's a lot of money for Doug to come up with, and I would venture to
say he doesn't have it.

Even in his condition of 'barely staying alive', Doug must be able to
understand that all good things must come to an end, and maybe this is
the right time for him to put an end to his business. Try to reason
with the man, while you still can.

Jeff
In Memory of Neo

[Posted in FML 5542]