>I was reading in the last mailing and there it was, another person trying
>to get rid of a ferret...
 
Whoa!  Hang on one moment.  I just read this email and I have to admit, it
upset me more than reading the meesage that it was referring to.  Anger and
disrepect is no way to respond to this sort of message, though you are
entitled to feel them.
 
Ok, maybe you don't agree with the fact that the lady/gentleman has an
animal that she/he was not totally commited to.  Maybe you have no respect
for her/his or their beliefs or actions.  You are abosultely entitled to
these feelings, and I even share a small amount with you.  But the fact of
the matter is, they ARE doing the most responsible thing they can think of
in light of the situation they are faced with.  If you are committed to a
ferret's well being, then figure out a way to get the ferret out of the
house.  In my opinion, the person getting rid of the ferret in a
responsible way (not just throwing it outside or killing it or neglecting
it, etc...) is showing much more responsibility that someone who attacks
their actions from a distance without trying to help with the problem.
Shouting and anger will never never solve a problem.
 
Yes, thinking of your committment to an animal as a temporary thing is a
problem with this society.  But, at times, things do happen.  Maybe this is
their first child, and they also mentioned they have other animals.  Try
to think just how much attention this furry critter will get.  Can you
reasonably think the ferret will get the same amount of attention in this
type of household, especially when the lady/gentleman has admitted the
ferret won't?  So, knowing this, are they supposed to keep the ferret out
of some sort of committment they no longer feel, then neglect it, or are
they supposed to find a home where the ferret can be loved like it deserves
for the rest of its natural life.  It ain't perfect, but neither are we.
 
One would hope that what happens is that the people learn, never get
another critter if they won't *permanently* commit to it, and pass that
knowledge/wisdom on to other people, or their new baby.  Therein lies a
true success story.
 
It is a bad situation, but I can imagine a whole hell of a lot worse
situations that ferrets have been in (my rescued little beaten baby boy
being one of them) than in an owner trying to find a better home for it.
So, you may not like the lady/gentleman and you have a right to your
opinion, but try to be a solution to the problem while/instead of your
anger adding to it.
 
paige (sigh, here I go again - mouthing off)
hershey (*yawn*, I am sSOoo cute!)
[Posted in FML issue 2530]