>From:    Juliana Quadrozzi - FERRET BUSINESS of GA
>         <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Alternative to ferrets being sold in pet stores
>Imagine if all ferrets were being acquired directly from reputable
>breeders & shelters, & not being purchased from pet stores whose bottom
>line is their only incentive.  I've dreamed of a system where the pet
>store would supply a voucher which would be presented at the
>shelter/breeder.  The shelter/breeder would pay a very small commission
>to the pet store for sending the customer.
 
In general I like this a lot.  One detail to work out I would think would
be how the breeder or shelter could refuse to place a ferret with the
'customer' with a voucher.  A pet store legally has little it can do to
not sell to a customer that wants something - anyone with cash in hand is
legally allowed to buy anything they want that is legal for them to own.
Okay that is simplified a lot.  But us breeder and shelter folk often
violate that and want to be able to continue to do so.  Being
non-professionals we have a bit more leeway legally as I understand it.
 
One way to encourage breeder/shelters to send customers back to particular
pet stores might be for the stores to have a special coupon system with the
breeder/shelter.  Coupons that the breeder/shelter couldn't use but that
are redeemable with a signature from the breeder/shelter authorizing the
coupon after a ferret placement.
 
Along these lines, while we lived in Prince William county Virginia we had
an arrangement with a local vet that when we placed a kit we gave them a
coupon good for a very significant discount on neutering that kit when the
time came.  We had an incentive we could use for placement and the vet had
a referral for a new customer.  Some other vets and breeders on this list
might find that a useful arrangement to consider trying to set up.  I'm
pretty sure it wasn't an exclusive arrangement with us by this vet.  I'm
not publishing the vets name to avoid others pressuring the vet to make a
similar deal against his wishes.
 
>From:    "Jennifer D. Ellis" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Ferret Dominance
>Apparently, dominance is a fluid thing--it seems to have as much to do with
>specific personalities as hierarchy.  Some ferrets are dominant over some
>but submissive to some that are submissive to them... it's endlessly
>fascinating to watch.
 
Thats our opinion on this.  Though we further find dominance between two
particular ferrets isn't fixed either.  Specific items cause "fights" that
turn out differently depending upon the drive of each ferret for that
particular item.  Some will fight and win for a particular squeek toy but
not fight as strongly for a particular hammock.
 
-bill
--
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2714]