The other day, I posted about needing help getting some ferrets to
safety. I have received some emails asking for more information and
telling me that people are not willing to donate without getting it.
I was afraid to post too much info about our operation, for fear that
the breeder in question would get wind of it. So I put alot of thought
into things and decided that IF I cant trust giving this info to a
ferret community that prides itself on loving, helping and saving
ferrets then there just is no hope at all for these creatures.

Let me start by saying, the breeder is Doug McKay.....yea, you were
right with your first inclination. Do you know what is truley going on
with this situation? Well it is your lucky day, I am here to tell you.
There are currently approx. 1000 ferrets sitting OUTSIDE in Ohio, with
no real shelter. These ferrets are kept in cages that are approx. 20 x
28 (small cages for the size of these ferrets) with approx. 8 ferrets
to a cage. There is no comfort. No soft blankies to climb under for
warmth, no sleepsacks to protect them from the wind, nothing but
hay/straw that gets wet and frozen from the snow and the wind. There
is a nesting box in the cage, but how many ferrets will fit in each
nesting box to get away from the winds? The temps have ranged from
3- to 23-. The snow freezes on these ferrets. I myself feel guilty
everynight when I climb under my nice warm blanket thinking about
these babies freezing. Speaking of babies. The ferrets have also been
breeding. About 1 month ago, a few people have went down to get some
of these ferrets. They witnessed the breeding going on. With these
temps, the babies are freezing to death coming into a cold cruel world.
Imaging what they feel when they exit the womb of the mama ferrets.
Isn't that lovely? Yes, they freeze to death coming into a world that
they didn't ask to be in. WE NEED TO HELP THESE FERRETS. The people
SUPPOSIVELY taking care of these ferrets are having to water them
several times a day because the water freezes in their bowls with
these cold temps. I can't imagine living outside in the cold,
drinking cold water. Poor sweet babies.

Doug McKay is not willing to give these ferrets to the rescues willing
to take them, however, he is willing to sell them to us for a low
price. He is willing to let them freeze to death instead of letting
us just have them. That is sick, insane and NOT a very responsible
breeder. I know, here is the catch 22. If we buy the ferrets, we
support DM, he makes his money. If we don't buy the ferrets, they
suffer in these cold temps. Can you imagine freezing to death? Ask a
dr or vet. what it feels like to freeze to death. Is it worth to pay
to get these babies out of there? To us at Michigan Ferret Rescue,
YES. We already have a vet willing to do vet care at a very low cost
and some of no cost. Do we have the money to do this, honestly, no,
not by ourselves. WE NEED YOUR HELP. Another question that has been
brought to us is, how do we know that he isn't going to do this again?
Trust me, HE WONT. Which leads me to our game plan. We are planning
to get as many ferrets out of there as the ferret community will help
us with. When it gets to the point that he will not sell us anymore
ferrets, then the media comes in. We are lining up media. We will have
our coverage and he will exposed as the cruel, heartless, piece of
crap backyard breeder that he is! When we get finished, Doug McKay
ferrets will be just a thing in the past.

I still have the fear of someone from this list running to DM. I can't
imagine ANYONE in their right mind supporting him and what he is doing
to these ferrets. But I am sure some do. Well, I see it like this. If
they run to DM and ruin what we are trying so hard to do, then, well,
it will be on their concience that these ferrets are suffering, some
to death. What a thing to live with for a ferret lover. It has become
our mission to close him down and stop the needless suffering of these
ferrets and the ferrets that are to come. We will go through every and
any road block that is put in our path. Be warned, we will not be
stopped.

Some questions that come to mind. Why, when Mary Mewton originally
posted about this back in November, has nobody done anything? Why
hasn't the ferret community banded together to stop this before the
real suffering has come into play? Why? No, she wasn't able to provide
the details that I provided, BUT, the weather wasn't as bad. Everyone
knows what he has done in the past. I have read about his neglect and
sheer heartlessness in the FML archives. WHY WAS NOTHING DONE?? Don't
people realize that just sitting back and talking about it isn't
getting anything done? You have to act, and now is the time for you to
act. DO SOMETHING. Don't just complain about him, WORK WITH US TO HELP
THESE FERRETS! PLEASE!! THEY NEED OUR HELP!

Now that I have put all of this out there, I know that I am sure to get
some flames, as there are some in the community that are famous for
doing just that. Bring it, I am ready, but know this, you will not
change a single thing that we are trying to do. You will be wasting
your time.

If you are willing help us on this crusade, contact me and I will tell
you how you can help.

Lora Blaisdell
Michigan Ferret Rescue
www.miferretrescue.org

[Posted in FML 5522]