Teri, It is a relief to now learn that some of what you wrote is a PERSONAL
opinion, as opposed to a formal group stance, something which certainly was
not earlier made clear.  Still, there may come a time when a group stance
is wanted, and therefore it would be most in the interest of the AVAR as
well as in the interest of ferrets if complete data were studied by all of
your board members at some times in the future.  Obviously, it would be
wrong for your group to take any position publicly WITHOUT having the data
needed first, and it most definitely has NOT had complete information to
date.  I am glad that you have now clarified the position.  As specifically
mentioned in several of my letters beforehand as we continued discussing
this topic (as well as in the first letter which mentioned that these
replies would go the FML), I DID share what you sent with the thousands of
members of the FML as I will this reply in the series, so a large number
of people will breathe sighs of relief, while many of us will remain just
as interested in helping the AVAR members have accurate and complete
information, something which has obviously so far been sorely lacking in
relation to ferrets.
 
Your assumption that the same stock could survive in the "wild" lacks any
proof.  There is a good possibility that pet ferret stock may partly be not
European Polecat.  There is also very strong information that domestic
ferrets which have not been back-crossed with European Polecats do NOT
establish in releases, and some question if even the crosses establish.
Meanwhile, it is only recently that the European Polecat in some of its
range has begun making a comeback, but it still faces the imported American
Mink which apparently can often out-compete polecats and may face a future
population crash as a secondary feature of the frog die-backs which have
been occurring world-wide since these are a stable.  If you would like to
learn more about the difficulties faced even by assorted WILD animals of
known wild origins which are reintroduced to habitat which still exists or
is only partly modified, you will want to read articles by people such as
Russ Mittermeier and Bill Konstant.  The difficulties even with such
optimal situations is NOT by any means easy.  If the genetic make-up of pet
stock ferrets IS different from the polecat relatives, or if the European
Polecat populations remain the only (and vulnerable) representatives, then
genocide might simply be the natural conclusion to wide sterilization of
pet stock.  Your statements reveal a very idealistic but naive view of wild
environmental conditions which are constantly being depleted.  We'd all
like the world to be perfect, but it's a very damaged world and some parts
just can't be fit back into place because the given place isn't there any
longer.
 
I do not understand why it bothers you that I stated that industry-wide
improvements would better help ferrets than simply targeting one mill.
The competitors of MF include some which are actually worse.  To target
MF rather than finding ways to force industry-wide improvements (or if
increasingly unaffordable -- to force the end of "production") and WITHOUT
also targeting their competitors so that they MUST meet the same standards
simply would open the market up for worse than now exists.  MF has its very
serious problems, with no doubt at all, but it's not the nastiest kid on
the block in terms of some of them.  The improvements need, therefore, to
be industry-wide ones: limits on pet stores in relation to pet sales
(perhaps finally the end of pet stores selling animals), strict shipping
rules, better conditions, etc.
 
You will find it interesting to learn that there actually are HUNDREDS of
ferret shelters in the U.S., an increasing number of which have not only
their states' accreditations but also even federal tax deductibility
status.  Many, many people adopt, some foster, many are shelter volunteers,
and so on.  There still IS a problem with public shelters and pounds often
killing pet ferrets, but even those situations are being tackled on a daily
constructive basis by a large number of ferret groups.  You have failed to
take this aspect into account, as well.  As I have said, you are operating
with very little data in reaching the conclusions which you hold.
 
We all know that we want to have the BEST possible conditions for animals.
We differ greatly in what we consider the best conditions, especially for
animals which simply do NOT have a wild option.  To reach the conclusion
which will BEST serve the animals it is ESSENTIAL to have complete and
accurate data FIRST.
 
BTW, may I or others have permission to also share your comments in full
in such publications as the AFAR or Modern Ferret?  Both of those just
recently have asked me, but since I did not specifically mention them in
discussion with you they have considerately not duplicated your replies.
If so, would you, please, clarify which are your personal opinions as
opposed to AVAR group stance?  Was it all personal opinion?  Obviously,
there is no problem with short quotes of information which was earlier
readily made public, but without clarification of whether the board's
stance is accurately portrayed it would be only fair if personal opinions
are described as such.  If all of the opinions are simply personal ones
then my own personal opinion is that it would make sense for educational
opportunities to be created for the AVAR board members and votes taken
before AVAR makes any public statements on ferrets again, if for no reasons
other than to avoid inaccuracy and the damage it can cause, as well as to
avoid placing the AVAR board in an uncomfortable position.
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2918]