>>From:  zen and the art of ferrets - bill and diane <[log in to unmask]>
>>Subject: Zen's rebuttal of A-X posting...
>>Sales is what most shelters do.  They take money (adoption fees) in
>>exchange for goods (ferrets).
 
>Well, I suppose with this logic then the human adoption agencies are
>selling human babies.  Do they have to collect sales tax on money (adoption
>fees) exchanged for goods (human babies)?  I don't think so.  Selling human
>babies is actually illegal, but an "adoption" is not.
 
I think the poster of this retort to the Zen bunch doesn't understand what
was said.  A ferret shelter accepts money for a ferret..call it sales, an
adoption fee, maintenance fee, whatever..but still it is money accepted ~by~
the shelter for a fert adoption.  In a human baby adoption, it is against
Federal law for an adoption agency to accept money for a baby.  Period.
Now..everyone else gets in the picture...welfare fees, county fees, state
fees, lawyer's fee, etc...but the adoption home doesn't receive a cent from
the adopters.  Money IS changing hands, but in a much different manner.
 
>>Its illegal to discriminate against a customer but maybe if we call it
>>an adoption than the courts will not see it as a sale.
>Oh please!  Have you never heard of "we reserve the right to refuse
>service to anyone"?
 
The Federal Supreme Court has ruled, that ~~no one~~ can refuse service,
etc. with out risk of a lawsuit or criminal action.  Granted, the rulings
are mostly anti-discrimination ruling, but the letter of the law applies to
all areas of business.  As a businessman, I can't even ask a customer to
leave my store without taking a chance that I will be held liable.
(However...If I ran a fert rescue, I would probably risk hell and
discriminate too!  <GRIN>)
 
Joe
[Posted in FML issue 2003]