Hi!
I have just been reading some posts from a couple of days ago and I am very
disappointed.  I used to get the fml about a year ago and I was a regular
reader and posted often.  I stopped reading the fml because of all of the
negative things that I was reading.  Recently I subscribed again and thought
that maybe things would be different, but people are still not doing
research before attacking something or someone.  I agree that there is
wonderful information on the fml and I have learned a great deal from you
guys, but one bad apple ruins it for everyone.  I was reading someones post
on pet stores and while there are many stores that are bad, there are a
great deal that are good!  I happen to be a manager at a pet shop that sells
dogs and cats.  We only buy dogs and cats from people who breed them in our
area and they have to be akc registered.  We have a code here that says that
we can only sell akc registered dogs.  We do not buy puppies or kittens from
mills!  We don't even know HOW to get in touch with one, not that we would!
I do agree that people should look at the pound or the humane society for
puppies but we do our part.  Some people want a puppy and they just don't
trust the pound!  Every puppy that we get in is examined by a vet before we
sell it.  Than when we do sell the puppy we give the buyer a free vet exam
with a vet in our area.  Kittens are the same.  Some of our chain stores
even give free exams with the ferrets they sell.  The reason that we don't
is because in our area of town we don't have any ferret vets.  And yes we do
sell MF ferrets.  They come in when they are about 7 weeks old.  Now before
people start yelling at us for selling MF ferrets, I have 8 MF ferrets of my
own that are all heathly and sweet!  The way I look at it is that MF is
going to sell ferrets and as long as they do the people who care about
ferrets should do their best to make sure that people are educated and learn
how to take care of them!  As long as they are out there they should be well
taken care of!  If we decide not to buy MF ferrets than they will just sell
them to someone else who may not be able to take care of them properly!
 
Also on another note, working at a pet shop and owning 8 ferrets has givin
me lots of different perspectives.  Number one: Pet stores are busy places,
not only do we have customers to help but we have cleaning and feeding and
stocking and dusting.  It is still a retail shop that includes all the
detailed stuff like pricing and stocking.  Than we have other things to do
like clean the dog pens and give them baths, than there are the critters
that have to be cleaned and then fed and watered.  Not to mention the birds
that need to be handfed (that takes like 30 minutes) than you have to feed
and water them.  than there are the fish tanks and the reptiles the list gos
on and on!  Now I am not excusing these pet stores where it stinks when you
walk in and the store is a mess and there are animals living in their own
waste!  I am talking about the pet stores where ferrets and other animals
are living in the right kind of cage and have the right food and toys but
the cage may not be as clean as you would keep your cage at home, but
remember there is more to a pet store than cleaning out the ferrets and
making sure that they are living comfortably, because they are not!  I know
that ferrets like to get out and play with people but they can't because
they are in that cage all day and night till they are sold!
 
I am just saying that the next time you go into a pet shop look around.  Is
the store in good shape, what kinds of animals do they sell besides ferrets
?  Research the place and don't assume that some 16 year old child does not
know anything about animals.  I am not 16 I am 25 but we have several 16-17
year olds that are very knowledgably about ferrets and other things in fact
every single employee that we have at our store owns at least 2 ferrets!!!
 
Sorry to rant and rave but I feel personally attacked when someone
generalizes pet stores!  I take pride in our store and want other people to
enjoy it too!
 
Thank you!
 
Monica and the wonderful 8!
[Posted in FML issue 2235]