Disagreeing is not flaming.  Having a different point of view is not evil.
There is most definitely not a consensus or even a majority opinion that
laboratory research using animals is unethical or wrong.  Feel free to
have your own opinions but if you express them you are indeed begging for
someone else to disagree epsecially when words such as selfish and
unethical are used.
 
>From:    Debbi Searing <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: breeding and shelters
>I know this will probably start a rash of flames and nasty emails, but
>I just have to ask: with all the concern we all seem to feel over the
>"unwanted" ferrets--the shelter owners of this list can attest to the
>mounting numbers of them--why on earth would anyone consider BREEDING.
>To me, that is just selfish and unethical.
 
Gee since you started what the milder here call flaming by calling a large
number of us selfish and unethical I guess its hard to respond.
 
There is not an overpopulation of ferrets in the US.  There is a problem
getting them from where they are to where they are wanted but not because
of sheer numbers.  One ranch - Marshall Farms - sells more new kits in a
month than exist in all shelters at any time in a year.
 
>People have no problem going off on pet stores and Marshall Farms, and
>then in the next breath talk about how they are breeding their ferrets.
>Kind of a double standard in the gargantuan degree!
 
But you have a point here.  We in particular do NOT go off on pet stores
and Marshall Farms.  But we do encouarge that folks get there ferrets fom
shelters and smaller breeders that usually take more time to educate those
adopting their ferrets.  We really don't think we have a hypocrisy issue
that a few others certainly might appear to at times.
 
FWIW - as a breeder we also shelter ferrets.  We have taken in 'unwanted'
dogs, cats, ferrets and you might even say our llama.  But not all
'unwanted' animals are being rescued in the same way.  The llama would
not have suffered if we hadn;t taken him in.
 
>From:    mnoble <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: MF ferrets and Labs
>I just have to add that there are so many people out there that think
>most ferret research or other animal research is in life saving
>breakthrough areas that I want to say that most is for cosmetics, food
>additives etc that really IMO only provide a salary for the lab people.
 
Then we just have to say, you are wrong.  Absolutely completely wrong.  And
it is not fair of you to accuse many members of this list that are involved
in research in such a mean manner.  Offer porrof of such an accusation.  It
is defamatory to call so many nice people such evil things.
 
We will not support your boycott.  Especially since it is predicated on
bashing a member of the ferret community that despite there definite flaws
has done far more for ferrets than any member of this list.
 
b&d
--
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2959]