I've just been sitting back and watching the flames go by.  Made me
think.  I realize that this is a list largely compiled with rescues and
shelters, educators and foster parents.  I know it must be very hard to
see someone come on here wanting to get rid of yet another fuzzy.  It
gets hard to comprehend how someone could not fall in love with these
beautiful creatures as we all have.  The reality of it, unfortunately, is
it happens.  It doesn't make someone a bad person just because they want
a nice house to live in.  Some people work extremely hard to have nice
things, and just aren't willing to let everything be destroyed by a
ferret or any animal for that matter.  As hard as it is to understand,
some people aren't ferret people (as if)!  So, instead of flaming the
one's it is too late for, how about educating the one's it isn't too late
for?  Or try to offer to educate the one's who think ferret ownership is
not for them?  Instead of jumping down their throats for not readjusting
their lives, why not offer suggestions on ferret-proofing and
redecorating?  These are obviously new ferret owners and don't have the
wealth of information we have.  Lets try to teach them about futons vs.
couches or nailing a tight mesh screen under the couch so they can't get
in.  Let's teach them about 5 minute time outs.  Let's teach them about
bitter apple spray and paste.  Let's offer to try to help the situation,
not do more harm.  Let's make suggestions that they honor their
commitment to this animal, and work something out with a local shelter
where they surrender the animal, but are responsible for it's care until
a proper home can be found.  Imagine the good we can do instead of the
bashing that just drives people away.  Instead of posting things like,
"You are an irresponsible *%$#..." we could say something like, "How can
we help you to change your mind" or "Here are some suggestions that may
help your situation so you can live in harmony with your ferret." Just
because you are willing to let your ferret trash your couch and you can
clean poop in corners 10 times a day doesn't make you better than someone
else.  Just means you have a different kind of tolerance level than other
people do.  I know we are here for the fuzzies, but we need the people to
take care of them, and if we drive them away, how does that help the
ferrets?????
 
Kelly White
Southampton, Massachusetts
Imagining if we used our anger for good how far we could go...
[Posted in FML issue 3872]