Seriously, folks, I am seeing a lot of people who just want to fling
around unpleasant accusations and names on both sides.

Let's have those who have run ferret shelters for no fewer than 5
years, and people who are used to controlling parents and their violent
children (experienced teachers, social workers, and police) teach
everyone here. For example, Roberta's post was great. I tried to find
mental health works on "instant experts" to point out -- beyond the
OBVIOUS factors -- why info from such real experts who have put in a
lot of time can be worth more in this situation to help all of us,
but either there is a term I don't know for such people who take such
actions as thinking that they know all (or a great deal) with little
time invested, or the topic is not studied, or I simply blew the
search. Any of those is possible, I guess.

Otherwise, it's just a bunch of know-nothings or know-littles yelling
and no one learns.

Everyone, at any stage of learning has opinions, that is a fact, but
if we are fortunate enough to hear from people who know this sort of
difficulty well then we call all learn and THAT is ultimately what will
best save ferrets.

In relation to what constitutes a hoarder: yes, that is a person who
have ANY number of animals that the individual can not care for
properly, so someone with filthy conditions or lack of veterinary care
or both can be hoarder with only one or two animals, but sadly there
usually are many more animals involved. Then again, there are people
with a large number of animals who never-the-less provide excellent
care and they are not hoarders. Here are some expert URLs on hoarding:
http://www.tufts.edu/vet/cfa/hoarding/
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/oct02/021015a.asp
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/display/article/10168/54031?verify=0
http://www.pet-abuse.com/database/

THEREFORE:  Using the word "hoarder" without evidence of hoarding not  
only causes needless pain, but it undermines the strength of the term  
when real hoarders are later tackled.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
HAPPY: http://www.6footsix.com/my_weblog/2010/01/high-fives-for-happiness.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)

[Posted in FML 6581]