"Exploit: conspicuous act or deed; make complete use of; turn to one's own
advantage; utilize selfishly". Petco exploits both ferrets and ferret
shelters.
 
Petco does of course contribute their throw away/damaged stuff to all kinds
of shelters, dogs, cats, rabbits, reptiles, birds and ferrets.  And it's
great that they do that instead of putting the stuff in the dumpster.  But
keep in mind that they then don't have to pay the dump fee and that either
way it's a business write off for them.  Cynical as this may be, Petco comes
out ahead by *giving* their damaged merchandise away.
 
Dick does respond to "negative" posts *off* the FML and on the FML and he
says "We're not about to get pet stores to stop selling pets." Dick this
just is not true!  And I can prove it.
 
Petco used to sell dogs and cats.  Animal shelters came down hard on them
and Petco stopped.  Animal shelters now associate with Petco because Petco
stopped exploiting dogs and cats and *now* the shelters take their cats and
dogs to Petco for "Petco adoption days" and allow Petco to promote
themselves as associates of local shelters.
 
Petco started selling rabbits just before x-mas in December of 1993 and by
May 31 of 1994 they stopped selling rabbits because of the feedback of the
House Rabbit Society (HRS) and other rabbit organizations.  Petco invited
the HRS to bring our foster rabbits to the store.  They invited the HRS to
hold education days.  They held an easter campaign to donate proceeds of
"adopt a paper bunny for $1" to the HRS (trying to buy us off).  The HRS and
other rabbit organizations refused to accept any of Petco's malarkey and
instead organized letter writing campaigns explaining how many rabbits were
dumped each year and in 5 months the HRS received a letter promising that
in addition to not selling cats and dogs, that they would no longer sell
bunnies at Petco stores.  NOW that Petco has stopped exploiting rabbits, the
various rabbit rescue organizations DO participate in Petco's adoption days.
We allow them to use the HRS name, thereby giving Petco credibility amongst
the rabbit owning public.
 
When any ferret organization goes to a Petco store, they are supporting
Petco's sale of ferrets by letting them associate their business name with
yours.  Your organization is encouraging the public to buy ferrets from
Petco because you're giving Petco your "seal of approval" and therefore
credibility for people wanting to purchase baby ferrets.  (Your name is on
every flyer, along with PETCO's to advertise the advent.)
 
Since ferrets are supposed to be the third most popular pet, that must put
rabbits way lower on the scale.  The HRS only has around 7,000 members and
there appears to be way more "organized" ferret members than that.  The HRS
has rescued over 5,500 rabbits, but from the number of ferret shelters, I
suspect that there are way more ferrets than rabbits that have been rescued
over the years.
 
Here's a quote from the letter I received from Petco when they decided to
stop selling rabbits. Just insert the word ferret where rabbit appears.
"A <house rabbit> can make a great pet.  However, we have found it next to
impossible to convince inexperienced prospective owners that <rabbits> need
special care, attention and devotion, just like cats and dogs.  A <bunny>
grows up into something quite different than that warm and fuzzy fur ball
that loves to be held against your cheek." And it continues: "The more we
learned the harder we tried.  But we just weren't satisfied with the
results.  We feared that too few new <rabbit> owners were not sincerely
accepting the responsibility for the life of the <rabbit>.  Therefore,
there will be no more <bunnies> (for sale) at PETCO."
 
It's true that I don't want *any* pet store to sell ferrets.  If it weren't
for Denny's Pet World, Jones and Co.  and the Petco stores in the Seattle
area, I and most other rescuers would not have to offer a place for ferrets
to be dumped here in Washington state.  I (believe it or not) *would* then
refer people to local ferret breeders.
 
If we want Petco to stop selling ferrets we can convince them to stop, but
as long as ferret shelters are promoting Petco and standing alongside their
bin of baby ferrets they have no reason to stop selling.
 
By the way, there were several people who wrote about the new batch of baby
ferrets at the Kirkland Petco, outside of Seattle.  You are all correct (in
my opinion), these babies are definitely under 6 weeks, and certainly not
the 8 weeks that they claim.  They are not marked as Marshall Farm ferrets
and when I asked where they were purchased the manager couldn't remember and
when I pushed for an answer, couldn't find the "invoice".  She did say they
were in quarantine for two weeks, as the last 'batch' they received were all
sick and had to be returned.  Gee, lets see does that mean that Petco
doesn't provide vet care for the animals in their "care"?  Based on my own
vet bills each month, I can promise you that if they provide vet care,
they'd stop selling all animals as it just wouldn't be profitable (the
bottom line for any business).  Perhaps because these were so young; they
had a SALE sign indicating that they were marked down from $119.99 to
$99.99.  Such a deal!  One baby was already on hold even though the person
hadn't even been able to handle the ferret at that point.  Let's see, my
shelter *insists* that people spend time with the ferrets to get to know
their personalities *before* they are adopted.
 
Petco *is* exploiting ferrets.
 
Sandi (long winded but passionate)
Best Little Rabbit, Rodent & Ferret House
also DBA House Rabbit Society
Seattle, WA
[Posted in FML issue 2370]