>From:    dweasle <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Aleutians
>I had at least 40 e-mails, only two defending Warmfuzzy.  What does that
>say?
 
Nothing.  In our opinion the folks most likely to send emails are those
with an axe to grind.  You also said most are from fence sitters in the
next paragraph.
 
Claimed email tallies mean absolutely nothing to us.  We don't trust them
at all.  Claiming support in emails is used as a point in scoring for
usenet Kook of the Month for example.
 
>Most of the e-mails I received are from people in the ferret community who
>are afraid of taking sides.  Excuse me but I take the ferrets side and
>their health and welfare need protecting.
 
Everyone says that they are taking the ferrets's sides in ALL of the
political battles in the ferret world.  Your point of view has no claim
to that any more than anyone else's.
 
Truly horrific things are done to people with the claim of "think of the
ferrets" or "I'm only doing it for the ferrets".
 
>Its a shame that people are too afraid to back up anything they believe
>in or stand up for what is morally right.
 
This is not a clear cut black and white issue.  Its not a moral issue.
Its is perhaps a courtesy issue.
 
>Of what i was e-mailed, rumor or not, some were sold.  Isn't that
>wonderful, Maybe it could be you, who has now acquired an aluetians
>ferret.
 
You are condemning based on something you fully acknowledge could be
nothing more than rumor.
 
There is no such thing as an aleutians ferret.  Thats part of the problem.
You mean a ferret that has been infected with the aleutians disease virus.
 
But actually, no, it couldn't be us.  That was emotional hype.  Not
intellectual discourse.  You were playing on fear - nothing more.
 
>Why would any good ferret owner or shelter not quarantine their place
>and ferrets
 
The only way to do that would be to close all shelters.  All ferret shows
and all other ferret events would have to be cancelled.  Is that what you
mean to support?
 
>Where are the ferrets that are positive for Aleutians?
 
From all we can tell most of the ferrets went where they belonged.  But
that is certainly a debatable point.  Most of us involved in even a very
minor way do know where the ferrets that tested positive have gone.  We do
not feel that its in the best interest of the ferrets or their owners to
reveal that here.
 
>Several had bad doings with Shirley and don't want this to effect their
>judgment.
 
The Hertzogs have done far more for ferrets than most you could name.
That statement just makes it look more and more personal.
 
>How many more ferrets must die this death before we wake up and take a
>stand to stop the spread of it.
 
Fairly nonsensical statement.  Snivelling on the FML will do nothing.
 
So far we haven't specifically heard of any deaths in this incident.
 
But for what its worth, Shirley and Clarence are good friends of ours yet
it is a good idea for them to not bring their ferrets to shows for a while.
But it would be a lot better if other less forthcoming folks would leave
their potentially infectious ferrets home.  Several far more dangerous than
the Hertzogs' which have a very minimal chance of actually being
infectious.
 
>From:    charlie <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: what is aleution mink disease?
>Please pardon my ignorance, but what is aleution mink disease?
 
It shows no ignorance to not know.  Other have talked about it and don't
know either.
 
Its a disease from a parvo-virus apparently related to a mink disease named
for the color of the mink it was first noticed in.
 
Its not a big problem in ferrets at this time.  In ferrets its probably
most dangerous on a ranch that raises both mink and ferrets.
 
>Are ferret clubs that restrictive with other, more contagious problem?
>(ece, colds, pneumonia, et?)
 
No.  All bans of people from ferret shows are personal or political not
really due to the health of the ferrets.
 
b&d
--
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2868]