[3 posts -- the daily limit -- combined into one here.  BIG]
 
Firstly, let me say that I am not a breeder, nor do I run a shelter.  I am
what some people would call a ferret enthusiast (because I love 'em so!)
that also happens to be a animal lover with a big heart and a marshmellowy
inside.  But I am also a realist.
 
After reading some of yesterdays postings regarding shelters being
collectors, I too needed to air my opinion.  Since the first little
ferret burrowed his way into my heart nearly 13 years ago I can say that
ferrets are like no other animal I have ever had the privilege of knowing.
But if you ask an elephant keeper his reply would be the same - that an
elephant is like no animal he has ever known.  Regardless of the animal
the circumstances and controversies, although touch on slightly different
specifics, really all involve the same topics: breeding, shelters, housing,
feeding, care, public education etc.
 
As a mere observer I can only give you my observations on this matter.  I
have seen the local SPCA so overcrowded that the halls were filled with
cages of animals waiting for new homes.  And I am sure that as each sun
rose, many had to be euthanised in order to make room for the many more
that would be brought in by the time the sun set.  If one were to stand
back for a moment and take the emotion out of this situation, one would
have to ask some pretty hard questions: Would money be rolling into any
shelter (private or otherwise) that didn't have a problem with
overcrowding?  Let's face it, the reality is that if an ordinary caring
animal loving person walked into a place that had lots of cages but few
animals to adopt, would you truly feel that the shelter was in trouble or
that there was a need for them to exist in the first place?  Would you want
to freely give out of your pocket money to an organization that looked like
it wasn't in need?  I wouldn't.  What would be the point.  Now on the other
hand when I walk into the SPCA on one of their overcrowded months my heart
goes out to them immediately as I believe their need is great.  It implies
that if a shelter can fill or overfill its facility, it shows a need.
Thus, the act of "collecting" could be used as a way to get funds.  This
starts to roll into another facet of this big picture realism.
 
If there is a real need for adopting out and finding new homes for all the
ferrets out there, especially from areas where the influx of ferrets has
gotten out of hand, then the next question comes to mind is, what is the
responsibility of the breeders in that area?  Breeders, in my mine have two
main agendas: to put out into the community a perfect healthy specimen of a
particular breed, and to make money.  In a world where money rules, any way
of getting it is fair game.  Let's face reality.  Non-humans are the one
living resource out there that doesn't complain about how it gets treated
and therefore, becomes an easy target for eager entrepreneurs.  But as in
business, there are good breeders and bad breeders.
 
So let's start to build a picture here.  Breeders give us beautiful
bouncing little furballs that few can resist.  People are drawn in by their
cuteness and playfulness and snap them up like a 2 for one sale at the Bay.
Even after crucial screenings (I couldn't tell you what the individual
policy's are like, the only ones I have encountered limit it to, "You like?
He's yours!" I'm sure and would hope that it is not the rule!) little kits
end up leaving their mothers with their owners being left with a fistful
of cash.  And as in any business some of the money goes back into the
"company" and the rest is profit to use as the operator will.  In the
meantime, little "Billy", who wanted a ferret so bad, has decided that,
since the ferret has grown out of its young really cute stage, and the
ferret just wasn't what he expected and so starts to play with it less and
eventually tires of it entirely.  Dad decides he would rather have a "real
pet" like a german shepard and justifies getting the dogs by its usefulness
and what it can do for the family as a whole that the ferret could not.
They start to look for a new home for the hapless little fert.  (This is
how Titch came to us 5 years ago.  Except I neglected to tell you Billy had
siblings who fed this poor little girl nothing but candy and junk food.
Shock surprise, she died after only a few years with us from heart and
liver problems.  She never had a chance!)  So, Billy and Dad end up
dropping off their disposable pet off at a local shelter, along with all
the other Billys and fathers and mothers who just didn't exactly know what
they had gotten themselves into and head to the nearest pet store where
they can fulfill their family needs once again.
 
So here is where we branch off into the six basic ways an abandoned ferret
ends up:
1. The Humanitarian: usually disguised as a friend, a neighbour, or friend
of a friend of a friend who always wanted a ferret but never had the money
to get one friend, or a person who just can't say no to giving "aid" to an
animal needing a new home;
2. Classified ads: the previous owner, trying to find a #1 and in failing
to do so, attempts to rid himself of the animal by putting an ad into the
local paper.  If the person is desperate enough, anyone will do as finding
ANY home is of the utmost importance.  A #1 personality is more than likely
the candidate;
3. Set Free: Sometimes they are lucky and picked up by either a #1 or a #4.
4. At the local Humane Society, SPCA, or local community shelter.
5. Back to the breeder - rare, but I've heard it done.
6. Dead, either from an accident, on purpose, or out of ignorance.  We
don't have to go into depth about this one as it is self explanatory.
 
1. The Humanitarian: his deed usually goes unnoticed but is commendable
in this individuals concern for doing the right thing for an unwanted
"pet".  A person in this category is usually willing to go the full nine
yards in caring for this animal, although on some circumstances may be
the individual who does exactly what the original owner did and searches
for a new place to dump the ferret once again.  In most incidences no
money is exchanged as finding a new home is of greater concern.
 
2. Classified ads: Since the SPCA has raised awareness about giving pets
away for free and getting the publics help in charging nominal fees to
weed out potential abusers, some currency is usually exchanged but often
low enough to get a nibble, and in other cases higher than the original
price that was paid for the ferret as now additional costs in care were
incurred that the owner wants to have reimbursed.  In a rare few cases,
the cost is high to weed out a lot of fence sitters and people who are
not quite sure if they want a ferret after all.
 
3. Set Free - probably one of the worst things that could possible happen
but is hardly surprising.  So many people out there make a dividing line
between humans and non-humans.  If they are an animal they must
automatically be able to survive outside.  In my personal experience these
people came from farm reared families who had lots of animals stay with
them over the years.  Where I work, my co-worker (a farm girl from a way
back) took in two small rabbits from a girl who recently adopted them from
the Humane Society.  Turns out the landlord didn't approve of rabbits and
so they had to go.  My co-worker turned out to be no better for later that
fall, yes, just before winter, she released them to a neighbouring golf
course.  Go ahead and guess how long they survived.
 
4. SPCA/Humane Society/Shelter: Born from a need to accommodate fad pets
and those who can justify getting rid of any family pet for any reason.
They are in the frontline of public perception.  They need to balance what
they do in such a way that explains the need for their facility and at the
same time try to educate the public that if it weren't for impulsive buys
and the likes, they wouldn't need to be around.  Fees are usually minimal
in comparison to what a breeder would charge to cover administration costs
and shelter running costs.  Many are staffed by volunteers.  In larger
facilities they offer services such as spaying and neutering at a fraction
of the cost or subsidize neutering for those who can't afford it.  This one
seems somewhat contradictory if the shelters original idea is to find good
homes with people who can afford it.  For those running private shelters
they are in need of both animals and funds in order to keep themselves
going especially if they consider this to be their livelihood.  Both are
responsible for and handle most of the literature on being responsible
owners and educating the public as a whole on myths surrounding (in this
 
case) ferrets.
 
5. Breeders:  It is rare that a breeder would take one of its adoptees
back but it does happen.  The animal is sold for the second time and
depending on what condition the animal comes back to them as, and its age,
etc., is dependent on what price is finally compromised on.  Being the
main source or a supplementary source of income makes really no difference.
Living creatures are involved here.  On a business based on supply and
demand I personally can't see justification for it, although some of you
would think me hypocritical for recently purchasing 2 kits from pet store.
Whatever my justifications for going this route, they would and could be
misconstrued to fit any argument.  (I saw a recent posting on a jill who
died during surgery to remove the dead kits inside of her.  One of the
responses was something to the effect of knowing what the risks were
involved in breeding jills.  But if one is in the business of breeding
ferrets I guess it's just considered a temporary set back.)  Breeders are
also heavily involved in changing laws regarding our little BBF relative.
They have to be - they have a lot at risk.
 
So what does all of this mean.  Well, responsibility comes from a variety
of directions.  If people weren't so eager to save a hapless homeless
ferret, more would be initially euthanized (sad as this would be) as the
demand would decline.  As the demand declined, breeders would have to
find either a new animal to make a new business from or find a new job
altogether.  Or more realistically speaking, there would be fewer breeders
out there.  In the business world, they would have to make some hard
choices themselves: does one flood the market with articles and books
praising the wonderful attributes of ferrets causing a resurgence in
popularity, or does one accept the fact that their business is failing and
find another source of income.  I doubt if that will ever happen as "pets"
are a societal necessity.  These little bundles of fur and teeth are here
to stay, at least for the time being.
 
As more and more information is disseminated about the positive attributes
of ferrets and how loving and fun they are to have, and as more and more
states accept them as domesticated, every single one of us, regardless of
where we stand, need to think about the big picture as well.  For as long
as there are ferrets and there are those of us who want them in our lives,
we must put all of this into perspective.  Breeders have a responsibility
not to flood the market with kits when the shelters are busting at the
seams.  Shelters have the responsibility to educate the public and find
homes for their ferrets without putting themselves into massive debt.  The
rest of us have the responsibility to be realistic and not to adopt what we
can't look after, to care for the ones we have taken under our wings like
we would if they were our own blood children; to provide them all their
needs, till death do us part.
 
In my humble opinion,
Betty and her Blur O'Fur
[Posted in FML issue 2516]