Mike,
 
I think that we all appreciate your opinion, however, I would like to point
out that for many people on this list there is no other outlet for their
grieving.  Many ferret owners out there do not have friends with ferrets who
would understand what they are going through.  Many out there cannot afford
a professional therapist to help them through thier grief.
 
The FML is and always has been for ferrets and ferret owners.  This inculdes
the good parts of ferret ownership as well as the bad parts.  As you've
noticed, people discuss everthing from birth of new kits to death of a good
companion.  This includes discussions of how a pet companion passed and what
caused it.  It may seem awful to read but it serves a useful purpose.  Not
only does it help to ease the heart of the griever, but it helps to prepare
those who have not had this happen yet.  Many people here have never lost a
pet yet.  I wish when my first dog died that I had read some descriptions of
what it was like to wake up in the morning and find your beloved pet dead.
It would have been heartbreaking to read but at least I would have been that
much more prepared.
 
This is the only place I've been to where not only incredible information
about ferrets is passed on but where you can come to discuss everything
ferret related with over 1600 other ferret owned people.  Trust me I should
know, I run the ferret section on Compuserve's Animals forum.  With that
many people around, you are bound to run into posts that you don't like
don't agree with or just plain aren't interested in.  When you come across
one of those posts, simply scroll past it.  It may not be of use or interest
to you but it may help someone else.
 
I hope that my rambling helps you understand a bit more.
 
Take Care and have a great New Year!!!!!
 
Steven Markowitz
 
Oh, and BIG You have a great new year too!!!  Keep up the incredible job.
You can't be complimented enough!!!!!
[Posted in FML issue 1428]