Well, it would be good if deaf ferrets were not sold (in pet stores) for
several reasons.
Number one is that no matter what the cause of deafness is/was in a
ferret, if the purchaser does not know about the deafness (and I don't
know of a single pet store that announces they are selling you a deaf
animal of any species), then that ferret is subject to abuse. Newbie
owners (which the bulk of buys babies in pet stores) are especially prone
to this and they do not understand their special needs. Owners often try
to teach the ferret to "come", and the word "no", etc. Just like we see
in people (Renee Downs can explain this much better than I), when someone
doesn't hear, they are perceived as "not listening". And they are then
punished for "not listening". Even if they are not disciplined at all
for "not listening", the mere agitation of the owner and tension is not
good for the animal. I've yet to meet someone who has not researched
this subject online or with their local shelters, know that ferrets can
be deaf.
Number two, is that the largest reason for deafness is improper breeding
(sorry, rough terminology, and not very PC, but it's true). Breeding for
fancy markings, means that the breeders have purposefully bred for a
neural crest disorder (not just the white markings). Waardenburg's
syndrome, as innocuous as it seems, does have four types. Only one of
the four forms has very little health effects. The other syndromes can
and often do have physical or health effects. Occasionally an animal
(including people) is born with WS, or other neural crest disorders.
That's okay. But you don't want to breed for them on purpose.
Sadly, what I am seeing now, is that much of the American population of
ferrets has some sort of traits of neural crest. The genetic pool ... is
flooded with it. It touches many. Today, it either washes out and some
ferrets that have a few of the markings are okay, or you get animals that
appear to be standards to most people that have it and also have health
effects from it. I'm hoping much of it is washed out as per say. If
that can really happen. But I'm seeing much of the latter situation,
where you have champagnes with no markings, or sables with white toes,
and muddy bibs, etc, having deafness. If they are deaf from neural
crest, then they have the full brunt of whatever form they have. Which
means they are open to the other health effects.
You're not going to get most stores to announce that their product is
"defective" (as viewed by many). Even if you did, you are not going
to get their staff to give owners the run down on how to raise a deaf
ferret (we cant even get these kids to give accurate information out to
customers about ferrets in general).
It's going to be tough to get the public to see that unless they stop
purchasing the fancy ferrets, they will still be bred. If they keep
leaving the poor standard babies behind in the pens, how are we going
to get breeders to stop breeding them?
How do we get it to change? I can't see a fail proof path to take
in this regard. I see many options, maybe we need to take several
approaches and put them in force.
Options:
- Education of public.
- Education of breeders (lets talk money, then they'll listen. Unhealthy
animals can cost them money. And some of them really do care about
the animals).
Not buying the fancies. (buying them and then forcing breeders to adhere
to guarantees will only make them drop "deafness" in the guarantee in a
clause. Worse they could drop the guarantee's permanently to everyone
for everything).
Publicizing harsh truths about breeding neural crest ferrets ... kit
mortality, longevity issues, limb deformities, jaw deformities, deafness,
GI problems, and even possible increased rates of certain types of
cancers in specific types of neural crest disorders, and much more.
Will help open the eyes of the public, the breeders, and will also force
breeders to answer to this.
I have no idea what else can be done. I'm not creative that way, nor an
activist.
Wolfy
http://wolfysluv.jacksnet.com
[Posted in FML issue 4883]
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