Well since we are newer to the ferret community maybe I can let you in on
what *some* newer ferret owners think.
 
1.  Who cares about people who want to be big frog in their area by having a
title and power.  Do I really want someone who cares about that in charge?
No.
 
2.  Why would John Q Public want to pay high member fees?  Answer they
won't.  Not all of us have that kind of cash and we will be excluded because
of it.  And some who do have it don't see where it goes.  Lower dues and
then optional donations where they know where it is going seem wiser.
 
3.  I can't even find a local ferret group in Louisville, KY (nearest is
over an hour away in Ohio- a very long dull drive I might add).  And I don't
even know what they emphasize in their group.  This type of info needs to be
more available.
 
4.  I can't even find my fellow local ferret owners... and when I do in my
area, they are heavily religious and it isn't my religion.  Even their web
sights have Bible quotes.  Not that there is anything wrong with this, I
just am not of their religion.  And want a religion free group to have FUN
with.  After all it is about ferrets right?  Others I find are not involved
in anything ferret wise, and complain about ferret poop etc, always
threatening to give them away/sell them.  We try to help with tips so they
keep them.
 
5.  The ferret community already seems exclusive to us, and that is just
from what we read on FML.  Since we don't live in the "ferret belt" where
there are wonderful fun club leaders, and we aren't a hobby breeder, or a
shelter... and aren't organized enough to do our own club.
 
You see the point right?  We don't feel we fit in anywhere.  And we don't
know what a national group would do for us.  I think a ferret owner needs to
feel they belong in the ferret community before they even consider national
groups.  Now if somehow going national helps this... then please tell me I
would be very interrested.  But I warn you high dues will drive people away.
 
I hope this wasn't too rambling and that some of my points got out.  At this
point I am neither for or against a national group.  I am just throughing
info out there.  Ya know?  To see what I can get back that pertains to
people like us.  There must be more people that feel as we do right?
 
-Raechel & Kevin
 
=-= Monkey, Kona, Mitz, Two, Beezer,and Lucky=-=
                                    [log in to unmask]
 "Look Mom and Dad, We have our own email address!"
                VISIT OUR FERRET WEB PAGE
        http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/8259/
[Posted in FML issue 1973]