>It has come to our attention recently that my father, daughters, and
>myself are being slandered and vilified through out the ferret
>community.
Me-There is no slander involved if everything said is true, which you
know it is.
>1. First and foremost our ferrets do not need "rescued"! They always
>have food, water, and shelter. They never go without basic quality
>care. Yes, the external surrounding area does not look the best, but
>that's secondary to the care of our ferrets. We care about all of our
>animals very much and provide them with the best care that we possibly
>can. we would never do anything to harm them! The accusation that they
>have fleas is absolutely not true! We have never had any problems with
>fleas and if we ever do, we would immediately take action. The ferrets
>also do not have infections, heartworms or ADV! If they did we would
>immediately treat them!
Me-I'm so terribly sorry to tell you this, but not only do your ferrets
have fleas, they have earmites! This is all veterinary documented.
Being housed outside they MUST be tested for heartworm, unless of
course you can prove that they are all protected by heartworm with
medication. I doubt that you even hold your ferrets. To you, they are
just a money making project. As for the food and water that you say you
give them, how can they eat and drink if the water and food are frozen?
You handle them with welding gloves!
>2. We see that photos have been posted and we are very sure who
>the photographer was. These photos were focused in whatever the
>photographer felt could be used to advance the agenda to defame,
>vilify, and constitute a mission to rescue our ferrets. We find this
>to be so reprehensible and disgusting that we are stunned and shocked
>beyond reason! To provoke and aggravate others by the misrepresentation
>of our family and animals is reckless, arrogant and shameless and we
>will definitely see legal action!
Me-A picture speaks a thousand words. Are you implying that the
photographer set up these pictures by creating the disgusting images
him/herself? How absurd. If the mess wasn't there it would not have
been able to be photographed!
>3. The guesstimate of 1-2000 ferrets is grossly inaccurate!! We have
>less than 500 and have been working towards reducing the overall
>number by selling them to shelters, breeders, et.al. The assumption
>that we have 8-10 to a cage is absolutely incorrect! It's closer to 4-5
>to a cage due to lack of room and cages. Since they are social animals
>they enjoy the company and warmth that other ferrets provide.
Me-Warmth being the key word here. They try to protect each other from
the elements. You claim that there is less than 500. Hmmmmm, let's see.
You were going to sell 300 to a breeder but that deal fell through.
Probably from lack of lineage paperwork. You don't even know who is
breeding who. That sure is responsible in my book.
>5. We do not breed ferrets year round! We believe that anyone with
>basic ferret knowledge knows that they have heat cycles that begin in
>mid- March and last thru April. We rarely have litters after August
>and second matings aren't producti ve but, serve to take the female
>out of heat. Which as most ferret lovers know can cause eventual death
>of the female if she is left in heat. We DO NOT have litters born in
>the winter months! The only way to have kits born in winter is to keep
>your ferrets indoors year round and to use artificial lighting, which
>we don't use!
Me-The main problem I see here is that the females and males are housed
together. To do so is irresponsible on your part. They need to be
separated to prevent the overbreeding that puts you in this situation
in the first place.
>6. Our ferrets are acclimated to the changes in the weather, due to
>being raised outdoors year in and year out, they become climatized and
>accustomed to the weather and stay very healthy. They are cold weather
>animals by nature and prefer the cold over the heat. Our ferrets DO
>NOT suffer in the elements, they have a sheltered building that is
>open on the sides for ventilation. Snow, ice and rain cannot get in
>on the ferrets! They are bedded every week for warmth and cleanliness
>using wood shavings.
Me-The sides are open for ventilation. Yeah, that says it all. Winds do
not blow DOWN! Winds blow from the sides and front. The roof has gaps
in it. Is this for ventilation also? Let's take this scenario:
It snows or sleets in the winter, the feirce winds blow (from the
side), the ferrets are covered with wet, they FREEZE!!!!!!!!!! They
huddle together for warmth but the ones on the outside soon succumb to
the elements. This is not an assumption, this is a fact of nature. Your
father himself has made the statement that "Only the strong survive".
He has also stated that this year many died. Maybe that is why the
numbers are getting smaller!?!?!??
>7. We are not willing to "give away" the ferrets at this time due
>to the feed, bedding and water b ills we have while caring for the
>animals. The feed we are currently feeding, is very expensive but well
>worth the cost! Any money taken in goes right back into the ferrets
>care and is very much appreciated due to all of us being on very
>limited budgets!
Me-The mink food you feed only destroys the ferrets teeth.
>8. My father, Doug McKay has had to deal with worsening health
>conditions, including COPD, and numerous other health problems that
>prevent him from working and taking care of the ferrets. However he is
>NOT on his deathbed as some have speculated! He currently handles most
>phone calls and questions that people have. In his place, my daughters
>Katie and Laura do almost all the maintenance and care of the ferrets
>including breeding. Meanwhile my brother Wayne cares for the small
>amount of mink we do have and also provides care for the ferrets as
>needed.
Me-Your brother wants nothing to do with the ferrets and to make that
claim is false. He has told you and your family to stop breeding but it
seems that this is the only means of living you know. In the meantime
your daughters are out there with welding gloves to handle the ferrets.
Beating the tops of the cages to get them down. You have live traps set
up to catch the ones that escape from the cages. What about the ones
that you DON'T catch. They then become dinner for the feral cats that
live on your property.
>9.We are very offended and disappointed in the individuals who started
>these rumors and are currently in the works of taking legal action
>against them. We only hope that the people that know us and our ferrets
>know better than to believe the accusations placed on us.
Me-The people that know you state that you should have been shut down
years ago. Don't fool yourself there is no love for the way you keep
your ferrets in the ferret community. You are not respected as
breeders. I will say though that they believe you are very nice people,
you are just from the "old school" of breeding. It has been also said
that they have tried for many years to enlighten you and your father
on the proper way of caring for the ferrets, only to be turned down.
Your father started all this by contacting a RESCUE group who then
posted the plight in November. He ASKED for help in selling his
ferrets. He claimed he "could not afford to feed them" he "could not
take care of them". Do your daughters live on the property? I have
heard they DO NOT,therefore they can NOT attend to the ferrets needs
as often as they should.
Mary G. Mewton
[Posted in FML 5538]
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