While we are discussing numbers, and the right of the ferret community
to know, there is a number I would like to see addressed. That is the
number of ferrets retained by the McKay family. The numbers crossing
the internet range from 50-150. What is the real number and WHY do they
have them??? I can see taking 5-10 of your favorite ferrets, but they
did not seem to care about them period let alone have favorites. You
aren't taking 50-150 to play with. The question has been asked what is
to stop this from happening again? Well?? I have heard everything from
the truth will come out, it is part of the agreement or lawsuit, to
they were restricted from breeding for a few years. Excuse me???

If you know anything about ferret breeding, jills are generally bred
between the ages of 1-3 years. Even if they were to wait 3 years, all
the ferrets they just dumped will still be hopefully, alive and well
and within the ferret community. If you take the numbers they kept and
again I wish someone would clarify....and half of those or more are
jills capable of having 1-14 kits each (and they obviously had no
fertility issues) do the math, that means that they could be right back
where they started in no time flat. No one wants to see more ferrets
suffering these conditions. Nor do I think the ferret community could
take another rescue like this in a few years when they decide they
can't feed them. It is bursting at the seams now. Shades of Diana
Bachman here. I'll keep what I like to breed in the future and you deal
with the rest. Before anyone gets up in arms I am NOT saying these
ferrets did not need rescuing or deserve good homes, but did this also
enable the McKays to do this to the ferret community again??

Something else that saddens me is that while these ferrets were indeed
a sad case, let's not forget that even before they came the ferret
shelters were packed with ferrets whose cases are just as sad. Check
out the giving tree. Some of the pictures and stories of abuse, neglect
and abandonment are just as horrible. These ferrets too deserve the
same as the DMK ferrets. I hope they will all get a santa.

Patricia A. Stauffer
Office Manager
Rhawnhurst Animal Hospital
7905 Bustleton Ave.
Philadelphia, PA
(215)333-8888
(215)333-8877 fax
Elkins Park Animal Hospital & Boarding Kennel
315 Township Line Rd.
Elkins Park, PA 19027
(215)379-2729 hospital
(215)379-0017 hospital fax
(215)379-2747 kennel
(215) 379-1920 kennel fax
email: [log in to unmask]

[Posted in FML 5813]