>From:    Martha DeLaun Fifield <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Marshalls
>I've only been in the list a couple of weeks so forgive me if this already
>has been discussed.
 
Many times.  Sometimes peacefully.  Its rather controversial but for the
wrong reasons.
 
>I heard that Marshalls sells ferrets to labs for animal testing.
 
Yes.  They did this before anyone bought their ferrets for pets.
 
>Also, I have been told by a vet and I personally noticed with my own
>ferrets that Marshalls ferrets seem to be more prone to illness.
 
Many people including many vets do not agree.  We certainly do not.
 
>After hearing some negative things about Marshalls, I stopped using
>their ferret food.  I am happier with the Shepperd and Greene food.
 
That is your prerogative.  But in some ways and some people's opinion,
Marshall is a better quality food.
 
>I don't know about other states, but in S. Florida, most ferrets are
>Marshalls ferrets.
 
That would be true in most parts of the US and Japan.
 
>What is a better breeder of ferrets?
 
We would recommend a private of hobby breeder over a ranch.  But of the
ranches none can justifiably say they are better than Marshall.  Unless
your sole criteria was selling animals for testing.
 
But think about it, if no one sold ferrets to laboratories than there would
be no medicines tested and approved for use in ferrets.  With no lab use of
ferrets they would still be dying by the thousands of aplastic anemia from
not being bred.  There would be no legally recognized rabies vaccine and
all bite incidents would be terminal for the ferret as was the case only a
few years ago.
 
Human medical treatment for influenza, ulcers and other diseases has
improved as ferrets make the best test subject for studies of many of
these diseases.
 
If you think that despite that, it is immoral to use ferrets for research
then by all means boycott Marshall Farms.  It is your right to feel that
way and to act upon those feelings.  But do not expect all others to feel
the same.  This is where living in what so far remains a free country has
going for it.
 
>From:    Caterina Venturelli <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: About animal atrocities
 
While we may agree with some aspects of Cathie's view on the whole she is
not exactly accurate in our estimation with her figures.
 
It is on our opinion very very wrong to compare Auschwitz and the other
concentration camps to the conditions at any ferret ranch.  Even the
absolute worst ranch.  Nazi concentration camps were about genocide.  The
attempt to end all traces of certain groups of people.  Even the worst
ranches do not have the extermination of ferrets as a goal.  If you wish an
awful but possibly suitable comparison consider captive breeding of slaves.
But the atrocity that was the "Final Solution" should NOT be diminished by
comparing it to what only SOME people consider horrible conditions at
Marshall or any other ranch.  The first hand reports we have of conditions
at Marshall are glowing reports when compared to genocide.  Actually they
are very positive on the whole.
 
It is very offensive to us to have the very important history of genocide
be it the Turkish slaughter of Armenians, the Nazi slaughter of Jews,
Slavs, homosexuals and Romani, the Serbs, Croats and Muslims mutually
trying to eliminate each other in what was Yugoslavia, or even the on
going smaller scale warfare of people trying to exterminate their rivals
in many places around the world.
 
As for the specifics of a third world country (though Mexico is struggling
to move up into the ranks of the industrialized), when life is cheap,
people will be abused.  When people are abused, so will be animals.  As
Mexico advances, Even while the US declines, it will become more humane in
its treatment of humans and animals.  This is seen time and again
throughout the history of the world.
 
The comparison to a ranch is insulting to the memory of people.  The
comparison of genocide to the slaughter resulting from the ALF actions
is far more reminiscent and even has the goal of elimination of all
domesticated species certainly including ferrets which is far more like
genocide than breeding on a scale of which others do not approve.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 3175]