Subject: zen on breeder/shelters...
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>>Subject: Why?
>>Could someone please explain to me why some people that run shelters also
>>breed ferrets?
>Could you explain why they shouldn't?  Breeders tend to know more about
>ferrets that about anyone else.  They are well prepared for running
>shelters.  Breeders also want to "give back to ferrets" so they help out
>by running shelters.
 
Why does a breeder know more about running a shelter than I do?  Yes I'll
tell you why they shouldn't breed.  First off I personally feel that if you
are running a shelter you are taking in the unwanted.....If you are breeding
and running a shelter its kind of contradicting.  You are taking in the
unwanted older ferrets or possibly sick or for whatever reason taking in an
unwanted ferret, yet breeding ferrets to create babies.  Isn't this sort of
a cycle?  They're giving ferrets back to the community as well as getting
them back later on because someone doesn't want them or for one reason or
another can no longer care for them.
 
>>A friend of mine and I were pondering this question in our brains and we
>>thought it was kind of stupid to be doing this.
>Well that's encouraging to be called stupid...
 
I don't feel anyone was being called stupid however I thought this shelter
breeding cycle was stupid.  If you feel stupid that is your problem.  You
weren't being called stupid and since you felt you were I'm sorry.
 
>>You have ferrets in shelters because of the over abundance of population
>>and for other reasons as well so why breed?
>Well its not an over-population problem.  Its a distribution problem.
>Folks have ferrets that don't want ferrets.  Other folks want ferrets.
>Shelters put them together in effect.  Breeders provide an alternative to
>pet store early alters.
 
If its a distribution problem why aren't you checking in to backgrounds and
so forth.  I personally would not sell any animal to any person I felt could
not give the pet a loving and caring home.  I would not own a pet store
because I would have to sell pets to irresponsible owners.  I'm not passing
judgment on people, but I feel that there needs to be less breeding and more
responsibility taken for the ferrets that are out there.  I have taken in 4
ferrets that were not babies when I got them, why because they needed homes
and I could give them the love they deserved and needed.  My last ferret I
took in was a baby that was in pretty bad shape.  I will choose the ferret
who is less likely to be chosen by someone else(EX: older, elderly,sick)
because chances are he is the unwanted one.  I don't own animals because
they are cool.  I own them because I love them.
 
>Pet stores normally sell ferrets as fast as they get them.  At least while
>they are small.  If they grow a bit they get harder to sell.
 
I GUESS THE POINT IS SOME PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BREEDING AND TAKE CARE OF THE
HOMELESS FERRETS THAT ARE OUT THERE!  BE MORE RESPONSIBLE.....
 
Let me also make another point there need to be more responsible animal
owners and breeders out there.  Some people are just in it for money and
those people make me sick.  Others are in it because they really do care.
But if you get a ferret, you need to make sure you are in it for the long
haul and aren't going to get rid of it because whoops we had an accident on
the floor or well golly one of the ferrets decided to damage the rug.  and
if you are going to breed make sure you are selling to responsible people,
not someone whom is going to return the ferret because he did a no no.
 
I just think if you are running a shelter it makes no sense to breed an
animal you are sheltering because 9 out of 10 chances you may see that
ferret you sold to someone in your shelter later on down the road.
 
[FJ]
[Posted in FML issue 2312]