To respond to Danee Devore's comments. My local veterinarian and other
vets have told me not to take visitors in the building, just like with
many farms, for biosecurity, and also security. In other words, it may
entertain the visitors, but it will do nothing positive for the
ferrets. But if there is to be an Open House Day where ALL AFA breeders
and ferret breeders allow visitors to the area where they breed their
ferrets, I would participate and put out the punch bowl. You can
arrange that, I'm sure, and let me know the date. We can tour people's
basements and garages, where many keep their ferrets.

As to the reference to Marshall's and the USDA, of course they have had
issues through the years, but they are licensed and set up to comply
with certain caging requirements because it is necessary to their
business, and they would be set up such that if the USDA came in, they
would have everything the way the USDA expected to see it. The key to
that is a lot of records of when and how everything is done, and then
if something is a work in progress, one can still prove it is being
done. But I am not set up that way, because it is not necessary,
meaning that if the USDA came in for an inspection I did not need, I
could not prove with paperwork when the last time they ate and how much
they received, when the last time the water bottles were sanitized,
etc. , but in the end it would not matter if I failed the inspection,
because their rules do not apply to me. If I ever do apply for the
license, then the paperwork would be set up and filed as they require
so that an inspector can look to see that certain criteria are being
met and check it off on their form.

If the USDA were to go into your kitchen to inspect it for an Italian
restaurant, would you pass? What sanitation rating could be given? Of
course you would not pass, nor would you want to, because you are not a
restaurant, and do not have commercial equipment, and are doing things
according to what works best for you and your family, not to comply
with restaurant standards. If every AFA ferret breeder wants to get a
USDA license, then I am game as well. We can all get one, and not
single someone out about their lack of a license or how they do things.
I would be very interested in who actually has a USDA license and why.
But in the meantime, I don't think many ferret breeders want people
going into their breeding area, or a license that they are not required
to have, just to satisfy someone on the FML. I have had visitors to the
farm on many occasions, but people usually ask to come when they are
picking up a kit, and that is not a good time for visitors because the
ferrets are in production and their "do not disturb" sign is on the
door. My first priority is that jills with kits are not disturbed, and
we keep the building isolated and quiet. I think I remember reading
about the premises around where the black footed ferrets were being
raised, that they do not use power tools or mowers that disturb the
kits, and that is pretty much how I feel about it. The jills are at
task, and do not want to be disturbed. Breeding pairs are not to be
disturbed, and strangers disturb the ferrets and bring in the risk of
disease.

When you set up the Open House Day with all the AFA ferret breeders,
and any other small ferret breeders, be sure to let me know the date
and we can arrange for you to come visit my facility, and I can visit
some myself.

Kathy Jordan,
Carolina Ferrets

[Posted in FML 6810]