At the surface, it's possible that raising the price of an animal will help
prevent abuse cases and stop animals being put down for no real reason.
After all, the people who "can't afford vet bills or proper food" won't
have access to the animal in the first place.  Under the surface, I
personally see a different story.
 
Maybe it's somewhat cynical, but I believe that animal care has nothing to
do with a persons bank balance.  I've seen wealthy people who adore their
animals, and others who should never see an animal, let alone own one!
I've seen people who have barely enough money to give more than the basic
care (and vets are included in basic care, IMO) whose ferrets are happy,
healthy and well loved.  I've seen others who were abused as well.  Money
has less to do with it than the love the people have for their ferrets and
their willingness to learn more to ensure their ferrets remain content.
 
Sure, money has an impact - some ferrets don't have Totally Ferret or
cheweasels or brand new toys because their owners don't have the funds for
this.  Many ferrets are given home-made toys and Iams Kitten (or another
similar type of food) and given their normal food as a treat instead.
What's wrong with this?  Sure, money is a consideration with vet visits.
I've heard of many people who have lower bank balances allowing the vet to
go ahead with tests and operations etc regardless of cost.  Many (but not
all, alas) have found vets who are wonderful enough (and able) to allow a
payment plan.  I've also heard of situations where people who are well able
to pay immediate cash to a vet for a minor problem who decide to get the
animal put down instead as it's something "easier".
 
Personally, I don't care if someone can afford the original payment for a
ferret - it's nice, I admit, to be able to get back some of the money I've
put into the ferrets I've bred.  It's great when people are able to afford
to pay, and greater when they do so.  However, people aren't always able
for the immediate cash right out.  As long as there is an obvious love for
ferrets, and I know the animals are going to be cared for, I really
couldn't care about the persons bank balance.
 
No matter how much money a person has, or even how much love a person has
for their ferrets, something *may* happen which can force that person to
give up their baby.  I know a lot of people who can't picture *anything*
forcing them to give up their furbabies.  However, if you are the only
person in the family who looks after, feeds, loves, attends to and plays
with the ferrets and you're in an accident that leaves you hospitalised for
five months and physically unable to care for the ferrets any more - what
do you do?  What if that happens and *you* are the only family you have?
What happens to your ferrets if you should die?  These aren't affected by
how much you have in your bank balance.
 
About setting a price for a ferret at $1200... While I am definitely not
what I'd classify as poor (although I don't get much money I don't have a
lot of bills either, so I'm left with more money as a rule than many) I
can barely picture having $1200 to spend on one animal.  If I had that kind
of money, I'd rather spend it on something for my current animals than on
a new one.  I know that after neutering, half that money is due to be
returned to the buyer, however it still means that the initial $1200 is
needed as *spare*, unneeded cash.  In the months while waiting for the
return of the $600 that money could have been better used on vet visits,
food, treats, toys or for general care.
 
One thing which people don't seem to have brought up is the money-hungry
opportunists who would look at people willing to spend $1200 for a single
animal, then breed indiscriminantly in uncertain conditions, sell animals
for a "cheap" $500 or $600 and make a killing.  Many "breeders" who breed
for the money will go the cheapest route to make the most money possible.
This means taking large numbers of ferrets, in bare minimum of space in an
area such as a garage or back shed, little to no care except for food and
water.  I've heard of situations where such a breeder seeks to make money
from this 'trade' having dead kits on the floor below cages, abuse of
adults, and removal of kits well before weaning.  I've personally seen
situations where such breeders have litters previously not sold in with
their parents and breeding indiscriminantly.  I've also seen breeders with
tiny animals due to bad diet, with their animals living in tiny outdoor
cages with little to no cover from the weather, water bowl filled with more
algae than water, and maggots in the cages which are filled with faeces.
Breeders like these breed solely for the 'money' and care nothing for the
animals themselves.  If the price of ferrets went up, the more this type of
breeder will come into being.
 
I can understand a hundred dollars or a bit more.  If there's something
special about the animal, I can even understand two to three hundred
dollars - but $1200 is, IMO, asking for money hungry people to see this as
another get rich quick scheme.
 
I agree with the principle - to find a way to ensure ferrets are treated
properly, and given the attention and care they require.  Personally, I
feel that the way to ensure this is education.  It takes a long time, but
it works!  The more people who own ferrets, the more the 'public' will know
about them, and the more clout we as ferret owners will have.  *Then* we
will start seeing improvements in ferret legislation, medicine, treatments,
and possibly preventative measures and cures for such ailments as those
that plague our beloved friends now.
 
Raising the prices on ferrets may seem like a brilliant idea, but
eventually, I can see this proving to be devastating to ferrets on the
whole.
 
Sam
[Posted in FML issue 2700]