Hi Danielle,
 
I've missed much of the debate about MF, PETA and the ALF but have been
around long enough to know what it's about and that it's always the same.
 
I just wanted you to know from me why I, as a ferret person, dislike the
PETA organization in regards to ferrets.
 
Ingrid Newkirk, the founder of PETA I believe, wrote a column about two
years ago for JANE magazine.  This is a nationally distributed magazine.
She was doing a Question/Answer page on pets.  A girl wrote in asking if
ferrets were good pets.
 
I will never forget her responses.  While I can't quote them 100%, I can
tell you what she said.
 
 Ferrets make lousy pets because:
   - they will crawl into the walls where you can't get at them
     and cause damage and escape.
   - they are a RABIES risk and not to be trusted around young
     children, and that if one should ever bite you, you better
     run to the nearest ER for a series of rabies shots.
   - they're exotic animals and not meant to be pets.
 
JANE magazine neither fact checked this, and when I posted the exact
quote to the FML, a ton of people wrote into the magazine.  Instead of
doing the RIGHT thing and printing some sort of correction in the magazine
at a later date, the magazine called us "ferret freaks" and dismissed it
at that.
 
Ingrid Newkirk did uncalculated damage with that response.  For such a
powerful woman, she is probably the most ignorant woman I've ever come
across.  Now, if the founder of PETA can't be bothered to check facts and
make a rational statement in a national magazine, why would I trust anyone
below her?
 
And, yes, I also held JANE responsible.  Their dismissal of us as freaks
did as much damage as Ingrid's ignorant comments.  I canceled my
subscription immediately.
 
So, for some of us, there are rational, factual reasons we don't trust
these organizations.
 
Julie
[Posted in FML issue 3658]