>Valkyrie <[log in to unmask]>
>And as soon as I am able I will get him a playmate, all places are under
>consideration, be it Sandi Ackermans shelter in Seattle, a petstore or out
>of the newspaper.
 
Oh, but there's way more shelters in the Seattle area than just mine!  So
please DO consider them all.  There's probably around 200 ferrets in
shelters just in the Puget Sound area alone.  And then there's Oregon!  And
Canada!  I doubt very much that there are 200 ferrets in Puget Sound pet
stores at any given time.
 
Then there's the druggie in Everett who continues to breed ferrets to
support his habits.  He only charges $25 for a ferret and he advertises
in
the Little Nickel paper.  (Of course many of them have died of kidney
disease.  I wonder if this could be because he forgets to give them water?)
For goodness sake at least dump the newspaper idea and go directly to an
established breeder <[log in to unmask]>.  I've checked on many of the "breeders"
who advertise in the Seattle area newspaper and have yet to find one who
even gives first shots or mentions that it's going to cost money to
spay/neuter the ferrets.
 
If it weren't for the pet stores .... we wouldn't have shelter ferrets in
the Seattle area! When you purchase from a pet store you are merely
purchasing some of their inventory. And like any store, whether they are
only selling supplies or live animals, if one of their products don't sell
then they don't replace that inventory.
 
 --------------------
Someone asked a few days ago where would all of the Marshall Farm ferrets
go if the pet stores didn't take them. Ask any breeder of any animal being
bred for pet stores. If they don't have a source to sell them to, then they
cut back on the number of animals that they breed.
 --------------------
Anonymous Poster <[log in to unmask]>
>have seen them come in and drink for 10 minutes straight, or latch on top
>someones finger because they are so hungry.  I know they are fixed between
>5-7 weeks, and their new incisions are often bloody and pus filled.
<snip>
>but if we don't take them in and care for them, make sure they go to good
>homes, who is going to?  The breeder?
 
This is *not* an example of pet stores "doing their best".  Your senario
reports what is a totally irresponsible & inhumane situation for the
ferrets.  Any "responsible" pet store would not continue purchasing their
products from this type of a breeder.  And again...I'll answer your
question...if your store doesn't purchase them then the breeder will stop
breeding/abusing these animals because s/he will not make money from their
sale.  It's a simple "supply and demand" issue.  If you do buy an animal
from a pet store, you are directly responsible for future animal breeding.
I'm not saying don't do it.  I am saying to be aware of the ramifications
of what it is you are doing.
 
Sandi
Best Little Rabbit, Rodent & Ferret House
[Posted in FML issue 2413]