>To Jack Holbrook:
 
>Do you have absolute PROOF that Marshall Farms is repacking Biljack under
>their own label?
 
Bil-Jac, which is made by Kelly Foods, is NOT the same as Marshall Farms
Ferret food.  MF Ferret Diet was orginally PRODUCED by Kelly Foods for
Marshall Farms.  The sales rep that I spoke to told me that MF Ferret Diet
is formulated SIMILAR TO Bil-Jac's feline growth formula but with higher Fat
and protein levels.  Whether or not MF is now manufacturing it themselves or
still contracts Kelly to do it, I'm not sure...  except that at a recent Pet
Show in Chicago, the Kelly rep was also selling MF Ferret Diet and Bandits
(tm) ferret treats.  You can draw your inferrences from that.
 
>From:    "marie i. schatz" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Just my opinion
>My own personal limitations, philosphy ... is that I don't care for "puppy
>farms" whether they're large or small.
 
I agree wholeheartedly, Mary...  as one who both works at a pet shop that
sells Marshall ferrets and volunteers at a shelter that sees the end result
of a poorly counselled sle, I get both ends of the story.  There are only a
handful of large-scale ferret breeders out there, <Thank Heavens> and I can
tell you that the pet industry is having a hard time already finding enough
sources to supply the damand for ferrets.  If I had mdruthers, we wouldn't
be carrying any pets, but, alas, I don't make the decisions for PetCare.  I
have been fervently seeking other gainful employment, but until that
happens, I am resigned to at least giving the customer as much information
(pro and con) as I can on the aminal he or she is about to "purchase".
Since they chose to sell ferrets, I'm at least glad that they chose Marshall
over another choice they had.  Theyr is a 'fur farm' in Minnesota that sells
a wide variety of fur-bearing critters.  I won't mention the name, but I can
say that I've seen at least a dozen ferrets that have come from there that
were not fully neutered or spayed.  These little ones were sold to pet shops
for as little as $20.  Some didn't make it past their first heat season.  We
get them in at the shelter occasionally.  Some manage to get to us in the
"nick of time".  Others..  :(
 
>That does not mean that I think MF ferrets themselves are "bad" or
>anything, but with shelters full etc... IMHO I choose to support smaller
>breeders (and obviously shelters) that provide more than just food and
>shelter to a money machine...
 
Mary
 
I know what you mean.  This is why I give each prospective ferret buyer the
same (if not more) time that I give the prospective adopters at the
shelter...  My employer may not like it, but at least I'm ensuring that the
ferret won't be coming back in the hands of a dissatisfied customer at the
end of the 7-day return period and that I won't be seeing the ferrets I
counsel the sales on showing up at our shelter...
 
Roger McMillian
[Posted in FML issue 1531]