Lynn Burroughs asked about Blazes and ferret show sanctioning bodies:
 
Unfortunately the Blaze ferret and the associated Panda and some forms of
mitt do appear to be from the Waardensburg Syndrome.  Also associated are
patterns of white blotches on the belly and hind knee caps as well as white
'bibs'.  There are several breeders who claim that they have pandas that
are not deaf while there are others who claim they are either deaf or hard
of hearing.  I remain unconvinced either way.  A few also unfortunate facts
are that all ferret show sanctioning bodies do have standards that include
blazes, pandas and (non-silver) mitts.  These are so popular that it would
not work for these organizations to exclude them.  So many people would
'boycott' the shows for not allowing their favorite little panda that the
shows would not thrive.  Another unfortunate occurance is that breeders
worked so hard to make these genes widespread enough that it is now hard to
find many ferrets with no trace of the genes.  Quite a few breeders try so
hard to 'not' breed for colors that they dilute the genetic makeup of all
their ferrets.  Slipping a bit off topic but a good breeder will breed for
color - all other good traits such as 'confirmation' (body structure) and
temperament must be present in any ferret in a breeding colony.  One that
is established breeding for color is natural and easy.
 
The major ferret show sanctioning organizations are (in no particular
order), FURO, AFA, LIFE and NAFA.  Other shows such as the LAFF, GCFA and
the Metro show are loosely associated and use standards at least partially
derived from work by Vickie McKimmey who also created the LIFE standard.
All of these have show standards for Blazes, mitts and pandas.  However
since judges should take off for defects all deaf pandas and blazes should
be docked points if the judge tests them as deaf.  This isn't the practice
of all judges but could help make the genetic deffective deaf ferrets much
less prevalent.  WIll it happen?  Probably not since most judges are
breeders and have their own favorite little deaf panda.
 
I'm glad that someone has the convictions to want to NOT support showing
genetically defective ferrets.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1282]