Well this has been encouraging!  I have been contacted about my earlier
post by several breeders letting me know they will be glad to take their
babies back.  And almost every one of them was polite about it as well!
(hahaha!)
 
I want to thank all of you who contacted me off list about this.  Most
of you seem to rescue as well, in at least some form or fashion.
 
And I now know that several of them have contracts, like the shelters,
requiring their ferrets be returned to them.  I wish they all did, but
several is a good start on that.
 
But that begs the question........how do I know which ferret belongs to
who?  We all know about the infamous Marshalls double dot tattoo, but
how is everyone else identifying their broods?  I check for micro chips,
besides tattoos, so far none.  I have also asked around abit and I
believe I have seen it mentioned here as well, but I don't seem to be
able to find any listing of the other tattoos I occasionally find.
Anyone got one?
 
Las Vegas is a transit town and one of the fastest growing cities is the
US (yuk!), so we get ferrets from all over.  But unless someone is honest
and upfront, and if they were, then this baby from you responsible
breeders would be being returned to you and not given to me, how do I
know who it belongs to?
 
Not a sarcasm or a slam, a honest question.
 
And this is not intended to start a hoorah either, but as food for
thought..... 30+years ago I raised and trained Doberman Pinschers, my
concept of the perfect dog.  I accidentally wound up rescuing.  In a
years time we took in nearly 100 dogs.  That was in the 70s.  I spayed
and neutered every thing I had and have not bred since.  I couldn't
conscience being any part of the reason hundreds of these beautiful,
loyal and loving animals were being put to death for lack of a home.
'Guess I took that first step towards ferret rescue long before I met
one.
 
But back to the problem of identification......any one have a list?  How
are the more responsible breeders keeping track?
 
Thanks!
 
Brenda
[Posted in FML issue 5307]