Regarding the constant turmoil surrounding MF - put yourself on the other
side of the track for a minute.  I have sheltered ferrets since 1992.  I
have placed over 350 in new homes since this time.  I've also lost over 60
ferrets during this time to illnesses & complications thereof.  I've
withstood the cost of more than 60 ferret surgeries for
adrenal/pancreatic/skin tumor removal as well as for hairball obstructions,
usually costing anywhere from $175 to $500 each, depending on each
individual situation.  This includes only surgery cost.  Add'l countless
costs are incurred routinely, including prior to or following surgeries for
bloodwork, barium, biopsies, fecal tests, etc.  On the flip side of this,
I've also incurred the costs for almost 100 ferret spays/neuters for ferrets
brought to the shelter.  Some of these have came from the assistance I have
provided during the shutdown operations of large, backyard breeders that are
just that; the ferrets are not spayed, neutered, had no vaccines in their
lives, were only fed/watered when it was convenient for the owner (gee, what
day did I feed the ferrets last, this is Friday, I think we checked on them
Last Tuesday), were kept in HORRIBLE conditions actually in people's back
yards, never had a litter pan (just excrete through a wire bottom coop,
sometimes till it piled so high that the ferrets were living in it & had
developed foot rot because of living in their own urine/feces), never had a
bath, nails clipped, or ANY human interaction whatsoever, never got out of
their cages, & alot of the ferrets were at least one year old or older.
 
If I were told that MF were no longer going to spay/neuter their ferrets
that are sent to pet shops, I wonder how long I could go on doing the work I
do.  If the ferrets weren't fixed, how many more ferrets do you think would
come from all the 70,000+ (?) that are sent out there from MF every year?
Even if the ferrets were sent out with a certificate of spay/neuter at an
older age, there are still TOO MANY people out there that would not bother
to have it done anyway, & would think that it would be FUN and/or PROFITABLE
to breed.  I've heard way too many times from folks who know nothing about
what they are saying when they think of this.  I know how much $ we spend
now, trying to make ends meet from paycheck to paycheck, housing usually
between 35 to 75 ferrets at any given point.  We have gotten in 14 ferrets
in the last 2-1/2 weeks, with 3 more coming this weekend.  Thank God not all
of these ferrets are intact!  2 of these last 14 are intact, with the
previous owner of them having no idea why the female was acting like a
BIT**, losing weight & not eating, & why the male "stunk so bad".  He
acquired the ferrets from "a friend of a friend", who told them they were
both fixed & descented - wrong & wrong.  The female's vulva was SO SWOLLEN,
but this person was totally clueless that she was in more than full heat.
(Note: She has now been spayed & is doing fine.)
 
If MF did not alter their ferrets, the same thing that is sad but true in
the US for our beloved other furry friends, cats & dogs, WILL HAPPEN with
ferrets too.  There would be SO MANY ferrets that people such as myself
would not be able to handle the overpopulation that would be created.  There
would be so many more unnecessary ferret deaths due to uneducated people
buying/selling/breeding ferrets that would not have any idea what they were
doing, and don't care to learn (i.e. - "I had two ferrets once, & they just
died." Me - "What happened & were they very old?" i.e. - "Only 9 months or
so old, not even a year, just found 'em dead in the cage.") As I said, they
would do it thinking they were going to make a million dollars or because it
would be interesting, neat or fun.  Only two intact ferrets can create SO
MANY in a very short period of time.  Then those people who bred those
ferrets sell them to more people who know nothing about ferrets, and so
continues the same cycle until....FERRET POPULATION EXPLOSION!  Shelters
such as my own would be devastated, to put it mildly.
 
It doesn't mean I'm on a Marshall Farms soapbox, we know there are problems
there just like any other "animal farm", be it for ferrets, cats or "puppy
mills".  But I deal everyday with the MANY unwanted ferrets in this area,
from Marshall Farms ferrets to backyard breeder ferrets to Path Valley
Ferrets to private, reputable breeder ferrets.  I thank God everyday that
ferrets are not sold at pet shops unaltered.  If I ever came to the point
where I got so many ferrets into the shelter that I would have to make a
euthanization because of overpopulation, I WOULD NOT DO SHELTERING ANYMORE.
It's hard enough to deal with illnesses/death in the sick & elderly of our
charges, let alone having to deal with so many ferrets that the one that had
been there the longest would have to die to make room for the one that just
came in.  THIS IS REAL, FOLKS.  MILLIONS of beautiful dogs & cats are put to
death every year because there are WAY TOO MANY, and not enough homes.  We
live in a society that is way too disposable; when something becomes
inconvenient or too much of a bother, it is disposed of; whether that means
dropping it off at the local humane society or dumping it in a trash
receptacle or kicking it out of a car on a country road.  Unfortunately, too
many people who get a ferret (or other pet) don't make a lifetime commitment
to the animal when they get it.  Just like the little girl who kicked her
dog before she and her mother left it in the waiting area of the local
shelter.  The dog had been the little girl's companion all her life (the
little girl was 6 years old), but the mother of the girl had convinced the
little girl that it was okay to leave it there, someone else would take it,
and that if and when they wanted another dog they could get one whenever
they wanted.  They'd go to the pet store & get a "pretty puppy", after all,
said the mother, this dog was old now & wasn't as playful as a new puppy
would be.  The little girl kicked the dog & walked out of the shelter with
her mother.  The little dog sat there (as she was told to "stay" by the
mother), and watched her world shatter into a million pieces.  Her "life"
walked out the door; but she obeyed her master's last command.  Let's bring
up & teach our children that this is okay and acceptable in today's society.
Let our children raise our grandchildren to learn the same thing.  This is
SO SICK & SO SAD!  I saw this entire incident with my own eyes, with tears
streaming down my face, my heart bled for this dear one's little life.  But
I know this is just one small case like this that is heard all over the US;
every, single day.  I've dealt with similar situations at my own ferret
shelter.
 
Be thankful if you live in an area where when the weather turns warm
outside, that the ferret shelter's phone doesn't start ringing off the hook
with take-in after take-in.  Be thankful if the ferret shelter in your area
has a waiting list of qualified "ferret parents".  Be thankful if Joe Schmoe
doesn't live next to your back yard, cranking out ferrets like there's no
tomorrow, shoving the money in his pocket to go buy another carton of
cigarettes.
 
I just thought I would give a different perspective of the MF issue.  If you
think about it, if not for Marshall Farms (especially those of us who have
owned ferrets for 10+ years), would you ever have been exposed to ferrets in
the first place?  Many of us got our first ferret experience by doing what
so many other folks have done, going to the pet shop & buying one.  And
where did it come from - Marshall Farms.  Marshall is not perfect, nor are
any of us, but hate mail is discarded just like yesterday's newspaper.  If
you need to voice an opinion to Marshall about your beliefs, by all means,
do so, but please do so in a constructive manner, not being so quick to
judge & condemn everything they do.  If Marshall didn't exist, there would
just be another farm to take it's place.  It is a business for Marshall, not
a labor of love like it is for people like me.  All we can do is create a
voice in this world, and hope to strive and change the things we can, &
teach a new generation to do the same.  It is through constructive criticism
that anything is gained, just keep that in the back of your mind when
writing to MF.
 
Just love your ferret unconditionally.  Shelters have no choice where the
ferrets originate from when they are brought to their door.  I have spent
10's of thousands of dollars in the last five years to aid all ferrets in
need (MF or other), & no, I'm not funded by anyone.  I work full-time to
help support my shelter.  I wish I didn't have to, but I've no choice.  I
provide optimum care for my charges & this is the only way I can continue to
do so.  I have sheltered ferrets from many sources, many of them are
Marshall Farms ferrets, but I got a big revelation for you...ferrets that I
have had since they were old enough to be weaned, that came from private
breeders, as well as ferrets I've taken in to the shelter that were from
private breeders, do get many of the same problems as the MF ferrets do,
some at earlier ages, some the same ages, but overall, I have NOT seen a
dramatic difference in Marshall versus private breeder ferrets in the
instances of longevity and/or illnesses overall.  Lymphoma, adrenal,
pancreatic, cardio-myopathy; you name it, we've probably had a good sampling
of whatever it is; and in both MF & private breeder ferrets.  Average age of
either death or euthanization at my shelter remains age 6, regardless of
origin.  Some of the oldest ferrets I currently have (one 9 year, three 8
years, numerous 5 & 6 year olds), are MF, & have to date had NO serious
health conditions.  Most of my own "kids" are at least 5-6 years+ in the age
category, and I have a pretty equal mix of MF versus private breeder.  How
many private breeder ferrets are out there that are 8+ years of age, or any
ferrets, MF or otherwise, that are 8+ years of age?  I feel certain there is
not a grand amount, regardless.  I hear all the time that people don't want
MF ferrets, because they get sick alot & die early.  There is no guarantee
no matter where the ferret comes from, even the most reputable of breeders,
that you will obtain a ferret healthier, sicklier or perhaps longer-lived
than another one.  You can get a MF ferret that dies of leukemia at age
1-1/2; you can get a private breeder ferret that dies of cardio-myopathy at
10 months.  You can get a MF ferret that dies of non-treated adrenal disease
at age 3 years; you can get a private breeder ferret that dies of lymphoma
at age 2.  You can get a MF ferret that dies of an inoperable tumor at age 4
; you can get a private breeder ferret that dies of beta cell tumors at age
5.  This is a continual life cycle.  I've lived it.  If nobody ever buys MF
because of early spay/neuter, then shelters will be over-run with homeless
ferrets.  The shelter operator has no choice.  Do I refuse to take ferrets
in because they are from MF, and tell the person giving it up that it might
get adrenal problems or some other disease & die so I don't care to take the
risk?  Do I tell all potential adopters that they don't want a MF because it
may die at an earlier age (but keep in mind, I've no way of knowing this),
when my shelter is brimming with needy fuzzy faces of MF ferrets waiting for
a home?
 
You don't have to agree with me, just maybe see another side of the story.
Love your ferrets no matter what tomorrow brings, obtain the care they need
& that you can afford (don't fire back about how much you spend, I ALREADY
KNOW, believe me), provide all the things they need until the end to the
best of your ability.  When suffering cannot be kept to a minimum for our
dear ones any longer, end their pain as painlessly as possible.  Although
often times our ferrets are not with us even half as long as we would like,
it doesn't change the love in our hearts.  It's not easy dealing with
illness/suffering/death, but it is a part of our lives, like it or not.
Ferrets deserve just as much love whether they are here 2 years or 8, and
whether they came from MF, Joe Schmoe or the person who has bred ferrets for
10 years.  Nobody here can say the next ferret you get will live one year or
ten, and what types of sickness and disease you will deal with along the
way.  It's all just the way life goes, and we deal with each new day as God
brings it to us, facing the challenges that lie within.  God Bless us all in
all that we do, and help us to help those who cannot help themselves,
especially those with no voice.  Always remember, give love unconditionally,
it doesn't cost a cent, but it makes the giver & recipient feel a whole lot
better.
 
Sorry so long, but I only come out of my corner when I feel I must.  This is
not intended as a flame to anyone or what they feel or believe, it's not an
issue of right or wrong, it's just another $.02 from someone else's world,
so that we can better understand each other & the trials we all face.
 
Sincerely - Fran & the fuzzies in PA - Fran's "Forever Ferrets" Rescue
(If you choose to respond to me personally regarding this post, please send
to: [log in to unmask])
 
Fran Wiles - [log in to unmask]
NCI/FCRDC, Work Planning & Control Dept., FME
Voice: (301)846-1071  Fax:  (301)846-6154
[Posted in FML issue 1938]