Hi everyone!
 
I just received an e-mail from a web ring that is about to be formed called
the Exotic Critter Circle.  It was a very nice e-mail, some exerpts are
below:
 
    ----------------begin pasted text-------------------
I'm sending you this note to thank you for providing the Internet community
a quality web site dedicated to ferrets.  As the creator of the Pennsylvania
Ferret Rescue web site, you know how difficult accurate information can be
to find on these special critters.  Here at PAWPRINT, we are also well aware
of this.
 
Helping exotic pet owners find this important information and provide the
best possible care is why we've started the Exotic Critter Circle, a new web
ring dedicated to providing quality information on small and exotic pets.
 
We invite you to become a "charter" member of the Exotic Critter Circle.
There is, of course, no expense, but there are definitely advantages!  Your
membership in this new ring will help spread the word about these special
pets and assist others to provide the best possible care to their critters.
In addition, being an Exotic Critter Circle member is sure to provide
additional exposure for your site.
    --------------------end pasted text------------------------
 
They also provided the following links for more information:
http://www.nwlink.com/~pawprint/critter_circle.html
http://www.nwlink.com/~pawprint
 
My concern was that ferrets are not exotic pets and this is something that
many of us are adamant about making a point of, to help dispel
misconceptions about ferrets (including those that are barring ferrets from
legalization).  I'm bringing this to everyone's attention so that if you are
invited to join this ring, you can think twice about your decision to do so
first.  I certainly am not telling people not to join, just think about it
before you do.  Here is what I wrote back to them in response:
 
     ----------------------begin pasted text----------------
Thank you for inviting me to join the Exotic Critter Circle.  While I am
very much in favor of using all resources available to educate about ferrets
to the public, it would actually be counter-educational to join your ring as
it stands.
 
I don't know how much you know about ferrets, but I am very involved in the
efforts to dispel misconceptions about ferrets and to use education to help
legalize them in areas where they are not currently legal (specifically, the
state of California).  One of the biggest misconceptions about ferrets, and
one major reason why California refuses to legalize ferrets, is that they
are misclassified as wild or exotic pets.  Ferrets are neither wild nor
exotic.  They are domestic pets, the third most popular domestic pet in the
United States.  They were domesticated *before* the cat was domesticated.
 
By definition, an exotic pet is one that is also found in the wild.  The
domestic ferret cannot survive in the wild, in fact, the average that a
ferret can survive if it escapes the confinement of a home is three to five
days.
 
It may sound on face value like we're splitting hairs here, but if you
understood what the folks out in California are up against, trying to
legalize ferrets, you'd see why I cannot advertise my site as being part of
an "exotic" circle.  As an educator, I would be helping to feed the
misconceptions that we are trying so hard to quell.
 
I certainly cannot ask you not to allow any other ferret sites to become
part of your circle, but I did want you to know that it could be doing a
disservice to the domestic ferret as a pet if you did.  If you care to
change the focus of your web ring from being Exotic to something less
exclusive--I can't think of an alternative name off the top of my head-- I
would very much like to become a part of it.
 
I wish you all the luck with your new Circle! Thanks again for inviting me.
 
    --------------------end pasted text------------------------
 
That's all I've got for now!  Just wanted to share with everyone.  Hope you
all are doing well and that your ferrets are too!
 
Kymberlie Becker Barone
Director, Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association
Montgomery County Branch
"Forget Puppy Love...There's nothing Greater than Ferret Love!" TM
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/ferretlady
[Posted in FML issue 2312]