>Paul Webster states:
>Well ferrets here as in Australia can be either working animals or pets
 
My ferrets are rescued, pets and workers.  Kurt a 3 year old poley is my
best worker, affectionately called 'Killer" Kurt the other one is Deanna
Troi.  All my ferrets live indoors and are thoroughly spoilt.  Kurt is a
good worker but can be a bit too quick at times and will 'nail' the rabbit
instead of chasing it out of the burrow into the purse net.  I wouldn't
dream of sending my two underground unless they were wearing a locator
collars - even then I feel very nervous and worried until they appear above
ground.  These are the only two that I have worked, I may give some of the
others a try out this coming season.  Without carrying out a poll of NFWS
members the membership secretary reckons that at least a third of them
regard their working ferrets as pets and treat them accordingly.  A good
working ferret is worth its weight in gold and any good ferret keeper will
put their ferrets' welfare above all else.  However, some uncaring keepers
may discard the ferret at the end of the season either by knocking it the
head or releasing it to fend for itself.  Unfortunately we don't live in an
ideal world - if we did there would be no need for the rescues/welfares.  OK
I agree that ferrets are cheap over in the UK but as Paul says the actual
cost of the animal does not have a lot of effect on how some keepers will
treat them.  Only one of my lot is not a 'rescue' but the fact that I had to
buy her does not get her preferential treatment over all the others.  The
main thing that needs to be done in the UK is educating some ferret keepers.
It is a long, hard, up hill struggle - there are still those that think
ferrets do well on bread and milk and that it is the only diet for = a
working ferret - they wonder why their ferret 'kills down' and then are
astounded when the ferret makes a meal of the kill and takes a nap which
will involve them in digging out the ferret.  Ferrets still have their fangs
snapped off using a coin or pliers, a barbaric practice - not only does it
prevent the ferret from defending itself it also impedes the animals
feeding.  Field sports suppliers still sell ferret muzzles - another totally
unnecessary piece of equipment.  If the ferret is confronted by a rat down a
rabbit hole it cannot put a good defence plus if the ferret gets lost whilst
wearing a muzzle it is condemned to a slow agonising death from dehydration
and starvation.  People still, in spite of the fact they are breaking the
law, sell kits at country shows (the show organiser needs to have a licence
for the sale of livestock and most do not want the hassle) - one of the most
common lines is "I don't normally sell kits at shows but in your case I'll
make an exception".  They haven't got a clue who they are selling the kits
too, they don't know if the purchaser knows how to look after a ferret, the
purchasers probably hasn't got a carrying box with them, it'll more than
likely be a hot day and the poor kit will be really suffering because of
some callous, money grabbing so and so!!!  The ferret is now being accepted
as a house pet in the UK - I would say that about half the membership of the
NFWS are pet owners only and do not work their ferrets.  I can only go by
the articles I receive for publication in the Newsletter.  When Ron and I
attend events with the B.F.W.  Roadshow we have leaflets etc which we can
hand out to interested people re the care and diet of ferrets.  Some people
just cannot be convinced of that ferrets deserve to be treated with
consideration and that ferrets are not naturally vicious, some real macho
(pathetic really) types like to own vicous ferrets - they've made them that
way by the way they've treated the animals - and they don't think that a
gentle, well handled ferret can work, we just have to concede defeat and
reach the conclusion that some folk are "as thick as pig s***"!  It can be
awfully disheartening at times.
 
Sheila
Bolton Ferret Welfare & Newsletter Editor of the
National Ferret Welfare Society of the UK
The opinions expressed by me are not necessarily those of the NFWS
[Posted in FML issue 1640]