I am 40 and have done a lot of stupid things in my life including stupid
things, out of ignorance, relating to my pets.  As I get older hopefully my
mistakes grow fewer and I get smarter.  Now that I know better would I buy a
dog, cat or ferret from a breeder that caged their animals 24 hours a day, 7
days a week?  No.  Its cruel.  And that's why I wont buy a Marshall Farms,
Path Valley or any other big farm ferret.  We may not know the answer to
early neuter/adrenal, or how many and at what age they put down their
breeders etc.  etc.  But I feel comfortable in the knowledge that they cant
be letting that many breeders out to play 2 hours a day like we try to
educate all ferrets owners is the minimum in play time.  Why tell people -
dont get a ferret if you don't have time for it and then support the big
farms?  It just doesn't make any sense to me.  Its like going to a dog
breeder who has a huge number of dogs that are all kenneled 24/7 and having
them tell you I'm a good breeder so you have to sign a contract that the dog
will be an inside pet, not chained.  Duh?  Believe me this happens.  Many
breeders of pet species speak out of both sides of their mouth and for my
.02 buying from big ferret farms isn't any better than supporting a puppy
mill even though the puppies aren't at fault and are very cute.
 
Mary, Boris and Giesela and Booker the rescue dog
[Posted in FML issue 1988]