First, my apologies to BIG and all the FML-ers for taking up more space,
especially since the babies at the Pet Pad in Pittsburgh have now (finally)
been moved out of the window.  However, I feel I must respond to Sally
Wharton's posting of 5/29, wherein she found fault with my perceptions,
which she claim distress her.  First, I have no doubt whatever that the
manager has a deep love for all ferrets.  She was the woman I spoke to on
Monday morning, 5/20.  I also know that it took five full days after our
talk before the ferrets were taken out of the window.  At the time they were
removed, they had been exposed to the intense heat and greenhouse effect for
two full weeks.  Yes, the store IS air conditioned, as are all the stores in
the area.  But, did you notice the mirrored backdrop and, behind that, the
wooden door separating the window from the store?  That wooden door had been
kept closed at all times until Tuesday, 5/21, and at that point the air
conditioning may have helped a bit, but this past week in Pittsburgh has
been rather cool compared with the 95 degree days I'm referring to.  Perhaps
the manager loves ferrets, as you say, but I truly believe the owner of the
shop wanted those little guys in the window for one reason only -- to draw
customers into the store.  As I checked them many times during the day,
especially on the very hot days, I found them listless and lying flat out on
the linoleum flooring.  I stood to the side and also watched the same
abusive woman that I mentioned before, as she would wake them up, via
shaking and twirling, any time there was a good sized group outside the
window, just so they'd appear animated.  Several potential customers
mentioned that they looked comatose.  When I say that this woman (I don't
know her name, but I plan to address a letter to the owner and copy the
manager about her) shoved the little guy out of the food bowl, I was not in
any way exaggerating.  He literally slid clear across the linoleum, just as
they all did when she went in to sweep their area.  No one could ever
convince me that this woman, whoever she is, loves animals of any type!  I
saw her in action, and she was alone in the shop, prior to opening, while
sweeping the little ones out of her way.  My daughter has been in college in
Pittsburgh since 1992 and has been a staunch customer of the Pet Pad.
First, she bought our Riley plus his cage, toys, food, and necessities; then
she bought her fiancee his rabbit, cage, etc., as above; she purchases all
of her rabbit food and accessories there; and last May, she called me to
tell me she had just bought me two full grown ferrets for my birthday.  It
seems the Pet Pad had been given them by someone who found them in a carton
somewhere in Pittsburgh.  So, when you say they work hard to find homes for
rescues: they may well do that, but those two had been there for some time
and they were sold to my daughter.  I'm sure she paid more for them than she
would have at a rescue shelter, etc.  FML-ers may remember that I just
couldn't take on two more, but that I found a great home for them here on
Long Island and we had a problem getting them to NY from PA, as Melissa was
flying home.  I received an outpouring of support, people offering to pick
them up from Melissa, drop them in Va., etc., and I'd meet them somewhere
along the way.  As it turned out, my daughter's fiancee drove them home.  I
have also been a good customer every time I visit PBurgh, and I have no
fault to find with the store in general.  They have some great supplies, and
the store is kept nicely.  I stand by my statement about pet shops however,
and I speak from experience.  I worked part time last year for a local pet
shop; the owner has 2 ferrets.  He occasionally got in one or two ferrets to
sell, and would insist that any prospective buyer take a couple of ferret
books home and read them.  Then, if they still wanted one, he actually
quizzed them about the care of the babies.  He also followed up with them to
be sure they were given their shots.  I admire the way he handled his sales
and only wish all pet shops would operate that way.  I saw him refuse to
sell a pet on several occasions.  He has since gone out of business,
probably because of his ethics.  Maybe if he'd dumped eight baby ferrets in
a hot window (the Hamptons gets lots of summer traffic) he would be on easy
street right now.  Of course, I contradict myself in Riley's case, because I
love him dearly and cannot imagine life without him.  But I have to go along
with Debbie Riccio who states her case very well on the FML about being very
careful when selling these wonderful beings to just anyone.  Sally, I only
wish you had been at the window with me during the 95 degree days rather
than the 70 degree ones.  Maybe you'd understand what I was feeling.  If I
offended you personally, I apologize, but I don't see how it involves you,
other than the fact that you patronize the shop, but I do as well, and so
does my daughter and many of her friends.  You state that I have an already
negative perception, and when it comes to the safety and health of ferrets,
you are absolutely correct.  But then again, my daughter and I were seeing
these animals several times a day for two weeks, and it would appear that
you saw them in the window only once, on a not-so-hot day.  I personally
don't think the kittens should be in the window either, rather an iguana
maybe, or something that thrives on heat.  Sorry to the FML-ers for the
space I used, but I had to respond to the Wharton response.  To say my
description was NOT QUITE ACCURATE is sheer nonsense.  You can look into the
shop from my daughter's front porch, and the sun did a real number on that
window, as did the mirrored backdrop.  Sally, you seem to be primarily
defending the Pet Pad, but I was only trying to defend 8 helpless little
animals.  I happen to believe that my priorities are in order.  Judi Lunn
[Posted in FML issue 1585]