"marie i. schatz" <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>I'll put in my .02 to support the LOS-NJ's position on not selling ferrets
>at shows.  Very good idea in my opinion.
<snip>
>The very reason to buy from a breeder vs.  somewhere el se (pet store) is
>for the education you get.  As one person posted - they could barely make
>it back to their table for the crush of people.  Just how much education
>can you do at a show before handing that ferret over?
 
Well, you've made a good point there, but let me clarify a little better as
this was perhaps my fault for not explaining things better; The show was a
good 12 hours long.  I showed 5 ferrets, which took me about 1.5 hours all
told.  In between, I had a whole lot of nothin' to do <grin>.  So I spent a
great deal of time talking with various people who were interested in my
kits and in the end, settled on the people I liked right away, felt had the
experience and "stuff" and would probably give my ferret kits the homes I
wanted.  If I had to interupt a conversation to bring a ferret to the ring,
I asked these potential owners to walk around the show for a bit while I was
busy and think about their purchase.  As a concerned breeder who cares about
where my kits are going, I do make the effort.  Show or no show, I have
standards and ethics and I apply them to whatever situation is at hand.
 
Now, as I said, *not* being local, what better opportunity did I have to
display and sell those kits?  I had _10 hours_ of time to spend talking with
those folks if I wished to do so.  Some went to other breeders and only one
went to a pet home, since the purpose of my bringing kits for sale was
mainly to sell to other breeders.
 
>The other reason I support this is I prefer it when breeders try to keep
>track of their kits and if problems develop down the road that relationship
>kicks in and the people will call the breeder.  "We're moving, we're getting
>a divorce can you help us find a home for our ferret" "Our ferret has cancer
>and thought you'd want to know for your records".  I just don't see this
>kind of relationship developing at a show.
 
Oh, I dunno.  I'm still in touch with everyone who purchased a kit from us
at last year's show.  I just received photos of one sweetie the other day.
Another had her first litter late last summer and I was the first person
they called to tell.  It goes both ways -- I've adopted ferrets to folks
locally and never heard from them again.  I don't think that's the best
argument against selling kits at shows.
 
>Proposed Solution: I don't see anything wrong with bringing ferrets (rescue
>or otherwise) to a show to display though even if your not showing.
>Interested breeders can check our your stud, people can see if they like
>your ferrets and call back if they're really interested.
 
Sure ... for *local* breeders.  Again, that's not viable for those of us who
drove for several hours to attend the show.  Lots of folks told me they came
to the show mainly to purchase ferrets they otherwise would never get to
see.  Since most breeders don't operate as a "business" (no pun intended) we
are difficult to locate through regular channels.  If I sell a kit to
someone who drove five hours from a different direction to buy one, and
several of their friends liked that kit so much they decided to travel that
distance next year to see if that same breeder was selling again, then we
get international recognition for our ferrets and the lines go further away
which again, since my purpose is mainly to sell to to other breeders, is a
good solution for everyone.  I don't generally have the inclination or funds
to purchase ferrets from far away breeders sight unseen based on the fact
that I saw their stud in the show ring.  I think this is probably applicable
to many other breeders as well.
 
>This seguys(sp) into my next point.  Whatever happened to that breeder
>ethic that said you should try (really try) to have people lined up for a
>litter BEFORE you breed it?  I thought this was one of the things at the
>HEART of responsible breeding?  If you regularly have to sell at pet shows
>then your not stepping up to your responsibilities as an ethical breeder.
 
Very good point, and kudos to you for bringing it up.  Most of us who
consider ourselves ethical breeders *do* maintain good wait lists for our
litters.  But there's a flip side too ... why would anyone go on a wait list
for a non-local breeder's kits when they haven't had the opportunity to view
those kits?  Part of selling kits at shows is the recognition and exposure
of those ferrets, as I've mentioned.  Additionally, while even I am
impressed with the wait lists for my kits that I manage to get, there is
almost always a kit or two in every litter that seems like a crying shame to
sell to a pet home when it's conformation, temperament and bloodline scream
"reproduce me." So it's not necessarily that I *have* to sell my kits at
shows, it's more that I *want* to sell my kits at shows.  There are just so
many benefits, and I think many other breeders will feel similarly.  I
believe you aren't a breeder, so these may not be issues that enter into
your argument, and I thank you for the opportunity to bring that up.
 
Deba Brezden <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>We simply do not know enough about ferret health issues to ever become so
>complacent, and as it's been said, it is better to err on the side of
>caution is it not?  <snip> Our response, rather than 'avoidance' is simply
>'precaution'.  The same, also applys to eliminating bite incidents.  What
>is needed is to take all the appropriate measures for prevention of disease
>spread, and to ensure constant supervised handling.
 
And may I add that I was impressed with the supervision and measures taken
to prevent the spread of disease at last year's show in Seattle.  The folks
who put on the show were concerned, careful and did everything in their
power to prevent the spread of disease.  Deba (Hi hon, sorry I missed you at
Christmas by the way) has an excellent perspective on the matter.  Sales or
no sales, there are still ferrets at the show and those ferrets are still
susceptible to disease etc.
 
>However, Sheena also has a valid point as concerns the actuality of our
>desire and need to be able to 'interact' in regards the 'business'( no pun
>intended!) of breeding, selling, and promoting our ferrets. <snip>
>...As well, concerning sales and or adoptions that DO occur at a show, it
>would seem to be overkill eliminating the practice altogether, when
>institution of a few simple, but strictly adhered to, precautionary rules
>and measures to ensure the health of ferrets, and the safety of the general
>public would suffice to meet the concerns sited here.
 
I think you're correct.  There's got to be a way to encourage the
interchange of bloodlines at shows while maintaining ethics and standards
and health concerns (but arranging to sell kits to other breeders beforehand
and leaving a cage full of kits in my car while I show my adults isn't the
solution I'm looking for.)
 
In the end, though, I think it's the shelters who will lose out the most.
Shows are a super opportunity to reach potential adopters.  And while a wall
full of photos at a vendor table may initially catch someone's eye, that
image is going to fade a lot faster than a kissy sweetie curled up in your
arms begging you to take him home.  Let's not forget that our ferrets are
often the best judge of who their new owner should be, and a photo of a
ferret just can't make that choice.
 
Sheena and the   |  proud LOMIG member  8-)
Wherret Ferrets!   |  "to be sane in a world of madness
Come see us at:   |    is in itself a kind of madness"
           http://www2.portal.ca/~wherret/
[Posted in FML issue 2221]