The key to handling so many of our problems is education.  If we can educate
the pet shop owners and managers, the potential and actual purchasers, we
can greatly reduce the numbers of ferrets that will need a shelter later in
life.
 
Pam Greene's mini-FAQ ("Your Pet Ferret") is a great education tool, but how
do we get it to everyone without massive copying costs? Here's a simple idea
Bev and I came up with that anyone can do.
 
1. Download a copy of the mini-faq from Ferret Central
   (http://www.optics.rochester.edu:8080/users/pgreene/central.html).  If
   you don't have access to a PostScript printer, Pam will mail you a copy.
 
2. Make a copy for each petshop in your area.
 
3. Buy a cheap clear plastic binder.  Put the mini-FAQ in it.  Punch a hole
   and put a length of ball chain through.
 
4. Take to your local petshop(s). Ask the manager to chain it on or near the
   ferret cages.
 
With any luck, they will do it.  It won't cost them anything, and shouldn't
take away from ferret book sales because the customer can't take it with
them.  And with any more luck, potential buyers will at least look at it.
 
Linda Iroff
North Coast Ferret Shelter
Serving Northeast Ohio
http://www.oberlin.edu/~liroff/ncfs.html
[Posted in FML issue 1761]