Marie wrote:
>[From:] <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: MF again
>I don't anyone has ever said the MF ferrets themselves were "bad".  The
>fact that there are terrible conditions at some private breeders doesn't
>exonerate or make acceptable what MF or any other large or small breeder
>does.
>
>If you wouldn't buy a dog or cat from a pet store (and I sincerely hope
>everyone knows better) why would you buy a ferret there?  Companion animals
>shouldn't be sold in pet stores.  (Or at exotic animal auctions or garage
>sales or in one case in my town here a pawn shop for crying out loud)."
 
This is Dawn/Oblenia, recently new to the FML.  I have posted a couple of
messages, my premiere one regarding Marshall Farms ferrets (which all four
of mine are).  Upon reading Marie's posting, it inspired a few more
questions in my mind about pet shop ferrets vs. private breeders:
 
1. Ferrets acquired from private breeders are "fixed" at a later date than
ferrets from pet shops, correct?  That seems to be the case with breeders
in my area, near Rockford, IL.  For a first-time ferret owner, of which I
myself am still relatively new (my oldest is 4 1/2 years old, got him when
he was 8 weeks old), wouldn't an unaltered ferret bite harder and be more
aggressive than a "fixed" MF one?  That could be scary to an inexperienced
ferret owner.
 
2. What happens to the ferrets in pet stores that are not sold?  Are they
put to sleep?  Given to labs for medical testing?  What's worse- getting
a ferret from a pet store when you can't stop from selling ferrets, or
leaving them there to die or have horrible experiments done to them?  It
seems like a hopeless situation to me, I don't see how not purchasing the
ferrets at pet stores will make breeders stop selling them there.
 
3. Pet stores are the first place most people looking for a pet will go
to- they can see the live animal, ask questions (granted, most pet shop
employees won't know squat about them, but you may be surprised), get
books.  I agree that a lot of people get ferrets from a pet store not
knowing anything about them, and giving them away later, but a lot fall in
love with ferrets, like me, and keep getting more of them.  People get dogs
and cats from ads in the newspaper and tons of those animals are gotten rid
of at a later date, too.  It's a never-ending battle.  I think what needs
to be done is improved regulations need to be set for pet stores, and
people like us need to keep them on their toes.
 
I'm not trying to fight with anyone, I just have these genuine feelings and
a lot of the topics posted on the FML make me feel so helpless, like
nothing is going to help.
 
Gotta go- one last thing-- Is there ANYONE else on this FML from Illinois
or near there?  I never see any info on things going on in my area!  If
there are, please email me!!!
[Posted in FML issue 2863]