'kay.
Domestic = final pinicle of development?
 
Then I fear dogs aren't, nor are cats.  Neither are the rabbits my freind
breeds.  Nor the mice.  You see, all of these animals, we are still
adjusting behaviors, looks, strengths and weaknesses.  For example, was
the dog domestic when it was finnally able to fetch for us?  Or herd?  Or
what exactly?  My significant other, for example, used to breed ferrets
for small, agile traits.  He felt this made them better, and desired
intellegence in his animals.  Another local breeder prefered large, rolly
ferrets that were cuddly and not as smart.  Niether of these would wait
until they bred the 'perfect' ferret and then stop.  The only way you can
get a pinicle animal, the perfect of it's kind , is to only have one.  And
now of course we relise trying to get uniformity also causes problems,
which is why all these dog breeds are now being bred out by people
concerned with genetic problems.
 
Well, here's a defenition that I hope helps:
Domestic animal
Animals selectively bred for temperament or other traits, either as pets,
guardian animals, wool production, egg or meat production, fur production,
entertainment or public/private educational animal collections.  USDA
defines a domestic animal as any animal bred for more then 3 generations
in captivity.
 
American Humane Society - Any animal that is for the companionship and well
being of mankind is domestic.
 
I'd say ferrets fit in all these definitions. Pets, bred for temperment
and often colour, which have most certainly been bred for more than three
generations in captivity, unless anyone here has been smuggling polecats
into their breeding stock again. Ferrets are definatly for the
companionship of humans, as well as the well being, as many people on
this list will profess.
 
So let's stop arguing.
 
Mel
[Posted in FML issue 2577]