Hey fellow FMLers:
 
I have to tell you all that I'm very disappointed in the lack of response
I got regarding my thoughts on a letter writing campaign to Petco and the
other big chains that sell ferrets.
 
I didn't even get any responses from anyone regarding why Petco SHOULD keep
selling ferrets, so I do kinda wonder if anyone is paying attention.
 
The fact is the House Rabbit Society succeeded in getting Petco to stop
selling rabbits and we can be just as effective.
 
Again, I don't think Petco and the other chains are "evil" or the folks who
buy ferrets there are.  Its just a matter of lack of knowledge/education on
the retailer and most customers parts.  Petco, and the other large regional
chains can be a wonderful resource for us to educate the public about
ferrets - and probably provide an opportunity to place a number of ferrets
from shelters.
 
For me, this hits home on a personal level.
 
I live in MA - where legalization in fairly recent.  Our state's shelters
are seeing the results of those impulse ferret purchases.  We are swimming
in cute, adoptable, ferrets that just don't have places to go.
 
I buy dog food and pet odds and ends at Petco and always stop to visit the
kits on my way through.  Other people check the ferrets out when I'm there
and the amount of misinformation I overhear, both from customers and sales
people, is frightening.
 
I believe we can do something about this.
 
If some letter templates with shelter statisitcs and names and addresses
for pet chain store contacts were made available to you, would you help?
 
Your letter, that one letter that you took 5 minutes to write, could make a
difference between a manageable load in a shelter and an overwhelming
situation.  One letter could mean the difference between an happy, eager,
properly educated ferret owner joining our ranks, or a disappointed person
with a constantly caged, ignored bundle of ferret bad habits.
 
Look, I'm swimming in school, work and ferret care right now.  I haven't had
a moment to balance my check book, wash the kitchen floor or read the enitre
morning paper in over a month.  But I'm going to make time for this, can't
you?
 
Ann
[Posted in FML issue 2375]