Hey just a minute aren't you folks getting off the track - this isn't about
whether or not Dr Kemmerer is a good veterinary surgeon which she she
undoubtedly is.  However, one thing I have realised is that if you don't
like the fact that she is willing to undertake unnecessary surgical
procedures you get a "rocket" when she tries to justify the act of
de-scenting and de-clawing.
 
Come on Dr Kemmerer - you save ferrets lives, that is obvious from the
posts on this mailing list but does that give the you God given right to
remove the top joints of a ferrets toes because the ferret has destroyed
$2000 couch and the keeper demands it?  If the couch is already destroyed
let the ferrets keeper (I use the word keeper as animals are free spirits
and as such cannot be owned!) turn it into a ferret toy!
 
Maybe, just maybe, if all veterinary surgeons really stood back and looked
at what they were doing by chopping off the ferrets toes at the first joint
they would realise just how unethical it is to pander to the demands of
folk who put material things before the needs of their pet.  If these
ferret keepers knew that they couldn't resort to mutilation at the hands of
a vet they might think twice before taking ferrets into their homes.
 
If the keeper doesn't like the fact that you've refused to de-claw and then
wants you to put it sleep because (in her/his opinion) it wouldn't do well
in another home - incidentally why should a ferret be condemned to death
just because it is behaving like a ferret?  - the keeper is being extremely
selfish, i.e. They can't have the ferret designed the way they want it to
be (it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "designer ferrets") so
nobody else can try to give it a good home".  BTW ferrets do not appear to
suffer trauma when they move homes - I've got 48 of them here, some of them
are quiet for a few days, probably due to the trauma of being "dumped" by
the previous keeper and being left to fend for themselves "in the wild".
Once they realise they've landed on their paws (complete with claws) they
are soon chooking and weasel war dancing along with the rest of the gang,
and digging yet more holes in the settee.  Ferrets will settle down quite
happily when they get regular meals, a comfortable bed, interesting things
to play with and cuddles.
 
Do you ask what the keeper has done to keep the ferret amused, most ferrets
like to dig.  I've got one little chap, Fritz, who has to try out the noise
a new toy makes when he scratches it, some ferrets love to make a noise in
fact, the noisier the new toy the more they like it.  Right, Fritz likes to
use his claws, if he was de-clawed it would mean the end of his life, he's
disabled enough without that, his back legs are deformed due to rickets(?)
and he also has dislocated kneecaps, he gets around fine, no one has told
him he's disabled but to deprive him of his claws and thus mangle his front
paws would just about kill him, he can't jump as high as his pals so to
keep up he has to use his claws to climb up things,
 
Todd Cromwell suggests that chicken wire could be used to prevent a ferret
scratching a carpet near a door - another tried and tested method is to
use a heavy duty door mats, the type with bristles, ferrets appear to enjoy
destroying the door mats so they 'dig' that to their hearts content.  They
also leave the other soft furnishings alone.  The door mats need to be
replaced on a fairly regular basis because the ferrets have destroyed
them - diversionary tactics are always better than mutilation.
 
IMO if a ferret keeper demands the death of ferret because they can't get
it de-clawed they are not fit to have the privilege of keeping *any*
animal, and should be banned for life from keeping one.
 
I'm sorry if this post is rather strong but I feel very strongly when it
comes to ferret welfare and I get upset when folk do terrible things to
ferrets.
 
Sheila and the 48 'rescued' ferrets.
Bolton Ferret Welfare & National Ferret Welfare Society Newsletter Editor
http://www.btinternet.com/~sheila/ferrets.htm (Last Update 7 April 1998)
Waiting at Rainbow Bridge: Jill & Deanna Troi
[Posted in FML issue 2278]