I have a few questions which can hopefully be answered. I have tried
to think of a range of possibilities, some perhaps outrageous though
possible, so take all below with a boulder of salt, and if you have
answers I really am curious and am sure others are, though I will
completely understand if no one wants to put anything into print,
especially publicly, and especially at this time.
1. Have all of the ferrets been removed from the property or only some?
Several hundred is a small portion of the numbers others have given for
the total seen, but there are many ways to alter population numbers.
2. If all are now off the property: do the mink remain? How much did
the conditions of the mink differ from those of the ferrets?
3. If they are all off the property: do the cages remain?
4. If they are all off the property: are the earlier numbers in
question, or were the balance sold, or might sickly or possibly sickly
animals have been destroyed (making vet papers on those surrendered
look more healthy than otherwise would be the case *if* that situation
existed), or does a relative or associate possibly have them secretly
sequestered away so they can restart once again later, or were the
numbers given in descriptions simply inaccurate estimates -- which
really could happen to anyone? If the ferrets are elsewhere are their
federal and state licenses and permits in place for those locations?
5. Does this surrender tie in with the law suits? For example, if
McKay's lawyer saw the conditions and if the photos and descriptions
encountered on websites were representative then the McKay lawyer MIGHT
have said something akin to, "You don't stand a chance in heck of
winning any law suits if these conditions can be verified so it is time
to follow-through on your earlier statements and stop the farming."
6. With the conditions changed can the lawyers for those being sued use
this surrender as tampering with the most fundamental evidence needed
to defend their clients? If so, then perhaps the cases can be thrown
out. Granted, I am not a lawyer and have never been at that farm (which
are why I have so very many questions) but it seems that this is a
situation where the prosecuting party has destroyed the most basic
evidence needed by the defense (by removing the ferrets from their
pre-existing conditions). It is not slander or libel when it can be
demonstrated as being true but now the evidence has been irrevocably
altered -- by the same party which benefits by not having that evidence
extant and the same party which is attempting to get legal judgement.
Even if this was a choice made simply because the poor gent has become
too ill to keep the farm together any longer in any condition, the fact
is that it does remove the most essential evidence in a way that-- to
me as a non-expert -- fundamentally impinges upon the legal rights of
the defendants.
Please, DO donate to help those ferrets. In the past there were decades
when we could have done a lot. These days we can only do a little, but
if a lot of us each do a little then that will add up!
Steve and I might do so through Support Our Shelters, ELF of the IFC or
something similar to avoid having to have a separate address handy (and
both of those are tax deductible charities so those of you who can give
a lot will find those to be useful ways to give)!
Let's see, the direct address is:
Lori Sies
Ferret's Dream House Shelter
Lynx OH 45650
(937) 544-3313
A Non-Profit 501(c(3) organization.
[log in to unmask]
Ah! On looking it up this is ALSO a tax deductible charity! Good news
for anyone who needs that! Wonderful!
Repeat: I am not a lawyer and have not been to that farm. I just
noticed some things which leave me with questions and those questions
have multiple possible answers, including, I am sure, some which I
have not thought of though I tried to be as inclusive as I could in
my meanderings.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
[Posted in FML 5736]
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