Here's my .02 for what it's worth.  MF is in the business (no pun intended)
of ferret production.  When you are in business, there is a little thing
called *supply and demand*.  If you don't supply enough product to satisfy
the demand, you loose business.  MF must be able to keep up with the orders
that the pet shops are making, or the pet stores will find other sources.
So, why are we blaming MF for over-production?  Shouldn't we be blaming the
pet stores for ordering and selling too many ferrets?  Or, should we be
blaming the public for wanting and buying ferrets?  Or how about blaming
shelters for encouraging people to turn in unwanted ferrets as opposed to
dumping them.  Or HEY, lets blame the ferrets themselves for being so cute
that they make people want to buy them?!  After all, MF has no control over
what happens to their ferrets once they sell and ship them to the pet
stores.  Just as the pet stores have no control over what happens to them
after they are sold to the public.  There is no way to force people to keep
a pet they get tired of, and no way of knowing which pet buyer is going to
get tired of their ferret and either send it to a shelter or dump it
somewhere.  I think the best we can hope for and do is to EDUCATE!  Educate
pet stores so they will in turn (maybe) educate potential buyers, and
possibly end up discouraging some impulse buyers from *biting off more than
they are ready to chew*.  But then again, people in general know tons more
about dogs and cats than ferrets, and there are still thousands of dogs and
cats abused, neglected, and abandoned every week/month/year.  I may not
approve of ALL of MF's practices, but as far as over-producing, if you
consider all the factors, the verdict is *not guilty*!
 
This is just my own humble opinion, you are welcome to disagree. Just please
be nice about it!! :)
 
Amy & Katie (I'm glad they produced ME for YOU Mom!)
"Here's Dookin' at you Kit!"
[Posted in FML issue 1761]