OK everybody.  We all know there are plenty of ferrets in shelters.  We all
know there are plenty of breeders, too.  But the story THE LAST DOOK
basically sums it up.  If you place all shelter ferrets then where do you
get new ferrets when the public wants more?
 
>I GUESS THE POINT IS SOME PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BREEDING AND TAKE CARE OF
>THE HOMELESS FERRETS THAT ARE OUT THERE!  BE MORE RESPONSIBLE.....
 
No, people need to take responsibility for their own actions.  If you have
a baby & find out you can't afford it, you don't put it in a shelter, turn
it loose, or try to sell it.
 
I personally think ferrets should not be sold in pet stores.  If a person
had to set up a time to go to a breeder's place, be questioned by the
breeder, and sign a contract, virtually all impulse buys are over since most
happen in a pet store.  To me, eliminating that may help solve the problem.
 
I think shelters & breeders need to work together.  Do shelters want to
support MF by making them the only breeder?  If the "breeders are
contributing to the problem" issue runs out all the breeders, where are the
quality animals gonna come from?  No place.  We will continue to support
MF's bad practices, such as early & incomplete alters, closed colony
breeding, possible inbreeding, early weaning, shipping too young, etc.
That can't be quality & will shorten the life of any animal.
 
I, too, think it is a distribution problem.  If you have hardly any ferrets
in your shelter, contact others to see if they have an adopter & vice versa.
Attend ferret shows to promote your shelter & educate the public.  I get
many phone calls from our local animal control referring people looking to
adopt ferrets.  Don't discourage breeders, encourage them to breed fewer
litters & breed more responsibly.  I have most of my kits sold before they
are born.  Encourage that kind of practice.  Encourage breeders to question
& research where their ferrets are going.
 
The Killians' posted:
>>Breeders tend to know more about ferrets that about anyone else.
And a response was:
>I don't believe this is true.  Breeders know all about colors and who to
>breed to whom to attempt to create a lovely color and pattern and the
>"better ferret".  People who are primarily concerned that all ferret needs
>love, attention, good diet and exercise tend to be much more expert in
>behavior, food and play items than breeders.
 
So what are you saying?  Breeders are irresponsible, don't feed good food,
never exercise their ferrets, don't play with the animals, & hate the
animals they breed?  I agree that there are breeders, as well as shelters,
out there that think they can make money from ferrets.  They can't.  There
are breeders out there that inbreed, know nothing about genetics, and don't
care about the animals.  Some shelters are the same way.  How dare you lump
all the good & responsible breeders in with the bad ones.  Shall we lump all
good shelters with the bad ones?
 
>I always thought it was some idea of a God who created life and who
>modified creatures over the years so that they would adapt better to their
>environment.  Perhaps that's what I object to, that breeders are playing at
>being God.
 
Ok, if nobody bred ferrets there would be none.  *Ferrets are domesticated*.
This means they do not live in the wild.  If it was up to God, you would
not have a ferret - so lets turn them all loose & have God take over.  All
females would die of aplastic anemia - oh wait, they wouldn't get that far
as they don't know how to hunt or fend for themselves.  If God didn't
intend breeders to breed them he would have solved this problem.
 
Amy Flemming
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[Posted in FML issue 2314]