Greetings again.  I have a bit of an update on the defanging story.  I
had a very good, long heart-to-heart with both the coordinator/manager of
the local Moncton brach of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, Jerry Rimes (Rhymes?  not sure of spelling), as well as the
-Provincial- coordinator, Ray Ward.  I had called the SPCA to find out what
their 'official' policy concerning ferrets was, and wether or not it would
give me any ammunition to take to the Moncton Pet World and their associated
Vet clinic in order to get them to stop this defanging.  Good news, both are
pro-ferret, it seems.  Mr. Rimes even owned a ferret himself at one time,
and seemed to have quite fond memories of the pet, though I didn't push for
any details.  Well, I found out that the SPCA does not have any official
policy concerning ferrets, but considers them along with the rest of the
domestic pets they see, including dogs and cats.  This is a good thing, in
my mind, considering the hooplah of late over California, the HSUS, and
other FFZ's.
    I talked to them for a good 45 minutes or more, (both were in the same
office at the time... what good luck!  :), and while of course they were
more interested with the issue of -overall- responsible pet ownership, they
were outwardly sympathetic to my views about the defanging of the ferrets...
categorizing this with dog ear- and tail-cropping and (to my surprise) cat
declawing, all of which they are against, saying that if a pet owner is not
equipped to handle the animal without these operations, (for example, taking
the time and little extra effort to train the cat not to claw the
furniture), then the person should reconsider owning one in the first place.
All of which brings us right back to one of the main issues of ferret/pet
ownership: -responsibility- and proper -knowledge- of the animal.  For
example, both men said that as ferrets are becoming more popular in the
area, they are seeing more and more of them at the facility...  and mostly
because the owners just did not realise what it means to have one of the
little 'terrors' running through their homes.  They did not do any research
to find out what it means to be ferret-owned.  The same goes for about a
dozen other species of exotics.  (An interesting point Mr Rimes made was
that about half the ferrets are adopted out, some of the others are going to
a program at the local zoo (something more to look into!  ;), and but a
small percentage (compared to the numbers of cats and dogs) are put down.)
    And, further, Mr. Ward blames the pet stores for most of this problem.
They are in this for a buck... they (at least here) don't keep track of or
even care what happens to the pets after they sell them.  In fact, he feels
so strongly about this that he and the Provincial branch of the SPCA are
tabling a new bill to go before legislature that will require all pet stores
and their handlers, and breeders in the province to be licensed and to keep
records of where their pets come from, where they go, and their medical
history while in their care for up to 12 months.  I applauded this, seeing
as I (we) have a problem with one particular pet store.  ;) And so also, to
further this end, and improving the quality of pet stores, pet
handling/breeding, and pet ownership in the province, he suggested/offered
to me that if I could put together a good packet of information about
ferrets and ferret ownership, he and the SPCA would help me publish and/or
distribute it.  I was immensely pleased at that, as it seems that the entire
province is so poorly educated about our favorite little furry thieves, as
this problem with the pet store and the defanging practise shows.  (Heh,
little did he know just how fantastic a source of info I have right here!
Pam Greene, you and I will have to talk about using parts of the FAQ.  :)
And anyone else that wants to offer to help...  well, let's talk!)
    Also, he suggested just exactly what I've been thinking about over the
last couple of weeks; in order to be heard even better, and to be better
able to educate the public, I should be more than just one voice.  And so it
seems, as daunting as it sounds, I think I'm going to start up some form of
organization...  a ferret club of some sort, whether local or province-wide,
to bring together a group of ferret enthusiasts, maybe even breeders (there
is at least one, maybe two in the province), and educate them and the public
about the most wonderfully fun and adorable pet on the planet.  :) Heh...
responsibility...  oh joy!  ;) So does anyone out there have any sage
advice?  Any help and suggestions on how to go about this would be -greatly-
appreciated!  Any other New Brunswick FMLers I don't know about yet?  (I've
talked briefly to one already.)
    Well, I've taken up more than enough of your time already...  thanks in
advance for any help you might offer, and especially for all the tonnes of
help the FML has -already- given me in just being here!  :)
 
One last thing: If anyone still wants to send a letter to the Moncton Pet
World and voice your views about the defanging, I'll repost the address,
along the the Vet clinic that it's associated with, to which I think you
should send a duplicate of your letters.  (Dr. Poirier is the vet who
handles their ferrets).
 
Moncton Pet World                               Moncton Animal Clinic
771 Mountain Road                               (Attn: Dr. N. Poirier)
Moncton, NB                                             (same address)
Canada  E1C 2R3
Phone (506) 857-9970                            Phone (506) 857-4271
 
Take care, everyfuzzy!  :)
 
Sean, ("HOW the heck did you get that childproof lid off that can??")
and Velocity. ("That's just it, Dad... I'm not a child!  Now, where's that
Chinese Puzzle Box you promised me?")  :X)
[Posted in FML issue 1241]