Disclaimer: This is a letter regarding Marshall Farms and past problems
with shipping ferret kits despite storms and inclement weather
predictions.  If you're sick of the MF debate, skip my post.  If you're
not interested in hearing about it, just skip it.  Please don't flame.
This post is intended simply as a call to people interested in this
particular aspect of the problem, NOT to provoke more debate.  If you
don't agree with me on this issue, JUST SKIP IT!!  This is my attempt to
do something to try to stop a problem as I see it, and to see if anyone
else is interested as well.  NOT intended as a debate-starter, or another
piece of the controversy.  ..
 
Hi everyone,
 
Many of the worst stories I've heard connected to Marshall Farms have had
to do with babies being shipped even in impending ice and snow storms.
Ferret groups and shelters have had to respond to emergency situations
where the babies (sometimes a significant number of them) were stranded in
airline cargo departments without food and water, unable to continue their
journey (sometimes for days) because of the weather.  Some stories can be
found at http://www.geocities.com/spsac/marshall_farms.htm.  They can
provide a reference for past instances of shipping baby ferrets even in
obviously horrendous (and forecast well in advance!) storms.
 
What I'm hoping that many of us ferret lovers can do - immediately or as
soon as possible - is to start bombarding Marshall's with letters and
e-mails reminding them of past gross errors that have left ferrets to
slowly freeze to death (and remember that some of these stories are from
a year or two ago; these days they're shipping them so young that they've
barely got any fur, which will even further reduce the chance they will
have of surviving an extended stay in a below-freezing temperature).
We need to forcefully remind them that their past history of shipping
ferrets without caution or regard for inclement weather has ferret owners
concerned...and watching.  And that we do not want to see a single
shipment of ferrets frozen to death or with respiratory distress from
being kept in the cold or stranded at an airport without food and water.
 
If anyone feels like doing this, I think it could not hurt to let
Marshall's know that ferret owners, ferret lovers, and ferret rescues have
their eyes and ears open this winter and will not tolerate any ferrets
suffering the cold or dying from exposure.  If you'd like to help, here's
the address to send a letter to the President of Marshall Farms:
 
Garry Marshall, President
Marshall Farms USA, Inc
5800 Lake Bluff Road
North Rose, NY 14516
 
Their e-mail is listed as [log in to unmask], but I doubt that Gary
Marshall sees too many of the e-mails.  Actual letters will probably make
more of an impact.  I plan on sending mine certified so that I can at
least prove that they received it!  Marshall's is famous for not
responding to e-mails or letters but at least I'll know someone signed
for it and got it.
 
Please, make your letters well-worded, spell-checked for errors, and
professional without stooping to threats or insults.  It's important that
ferret lovers come across as concerned and caring as well as controlled
and reasonable.  If you're connected to a ferret rescue or group, and you
make reference to it in your letter, be especially careful not to make any
statements that sound threatening or insulting.  (Please note that stating
that you will not buy Marshall Farms products if they continue to ship
kits in snowstorms is perfectly OK; you are making a statement as a
consumer).  Make your concern known, let Marshall's know that you are
aware of past errors and expect that they will not make the same mistakes
this year, and that as a concerned ferret lover/owner/rescuer you will be
one of many people with eyes and ears open to make sure nothing horrific
happens to cases of baby ferrets.
 
We have to be the voice for our furry kids who can't speak up for
themselves or their brothers and sisters.
 
Let's do what we can to show that we will not tolerate any carelessness
that leaves ferrets to suffer and die just in the interest of shipping
them to a pet store as quickly as possible, as young as possible.  Join
me in letting Mr. Gary Marshall know that we are watching and we will
continue to take an interest in how these ferrets begin their lives.  We
will not tolerate frozen DOA kits all in the name of profit.  It's of
course my wish that Marshalls has learned from past errors and WILL be
more careful this year; however I do not actually hold out much hope for
that!  I think there needs to be some "encouragement" from us.
 
Thanks guys,
Heather
[Posted in FML issue 3629]