>If we all boycott MF babies and only adopt from shelters, what will
>happen to all the sweet little MF babies sitting in the pet stores, as
>someone said earlier its not their fault where they come from.  This is a
>genuine question, I am not being sarcastic or anything, I really want to
>know so I can make an informed decision.  Thanx
 
Um...
 
Good question.  It kind of depends on different locations, the pet stores
in different areas, etc.  As to this question, I can only speak to what
happens in Western Massachusetts...
 
Boycotting Marshall Farms wouldn't be JUST not buying their ferrets.  I
agree that all ferrets, PARTICULARLY MF ones, need good, loving, educated
homes given the likelihood that their owners will have to deal with them
developing health problems at some later date.  I was thinking more along
the lines of boycotting their products.  Marshall's has a whole sideline
of various pet products that I would support a boycott of (ferret products
mainly).  There are alternate brands for everything Marshalls makes, and
most other brands are comparable or superior.
 
In Western Mass, our pet stores for the most part are fairly responsible
about caring for the ferrets and keep them until they're sold.  Sometimes
this means that the kits in the tank are a couple of months old and still
in the store.  Most of our stores keep them until they're sold; HOWEVER,
pet stores have the option of shipping ferrets BACK to MF after they've
gotten too old, and MF will replace them with a fresh batch of tiny kits.
Most pet stores know what will happen to those older babies they ship
back, and will not entertain such a notion.  But doubtless there are pet
stores that excercise that option.  In a case like that it would be hard
for me to say boycott those babies, because to buy them is to literally
save their life.  But that's also a case of a very poor pet store, because
in my opinion no one should own, run, or work at a pet store unless they
have at least some affection for animals.  A pet store that WOULD exercise
the option to return unwanted animals knowing that they'd be destroyed is
a whole other issue.  Locally, most of our stores are really good about
either keeping them or, if they get just way too old to be cooped up at
the pet store, they'll call a shelter and surrender the ferrets to them to
find good homes.  So at least in my area, a boycott of MF kits would not
mean they'd suffer or die.  But other areas of the country may have a
different situation.
 
I think the suggestion here is to communicate to your local pet store that
you would like them to take an interest in the place their ferret kits
come from, and encourage them to complain to MF if they are receiving
babies that are too young to be sold.  There is often a feeling by ferret
lovers when they see one or two slightly older or forlorn-looking kits in
the store that they should buy them to "rescue" them but as soon as you
do, the cage fills up with another 10-12 tiny babies.  I realize you may
be saying, "So what?  Those babies still deserve homes too." Yes they do.
And they probably will get them.  But people who feel strongly that MF
should be held accountable for their behavior won't buy the kits, as hard
as it is to walk away from them.  (Sometimes even just the THREAT of a
boycott, not the actual boycott, is enough to get companies to sit up and
take an interest.)
 
When you ask, "If all of us boycott...", there really is no "all" of us.
"All" of us reading and posting to the FML represent a very small
percentage of ferret owners.  Even if everyone on the FML decided to
refuse to buy MF kits, there would still be a tremendous market and those
kits would still find homes.  A boycott does not have to be universal and
leave kits homeless in pet stores.  A boycott of even a small percentage
of ferret lovers refusing to buy MF pet products or food would still get
some attention.  And before you even get listened to, you have to get the
attention of the person or entity you're trying to change.
 
Boycotts aren't forever; often they're very short in duration, but they
occur so that a message can be sent.  I think when people imagine a
"boycott" of MF ferrets they are picturing a long-term situation where
kits languish in small pet store tanks.  This could happen if a boycott
became huge and widespread, but I don't envision that happening nor would
I want to see that happen.  But a brief boycott that shows MF what ferret
lovers COULD do if they wanted to send a message; that people who care
about the well-being and care of ferrets take all aspects of their
ferret's lives seriously, starting with the moment they are born.
 
I hope this helps; I don't think anyone is calling for a widespread
stoppage on ferret purchases that leaves all those babies homeless.  I
should also mention that lots of those kits end up in the shelters
sometimes just a few months later when their owners realize they can't
handle them; so in a way when you go to a shelter, chances are good you
ARE still rescuing one of those pet-store babies.
 
Happy Holidays,
Heather
[Posted in FML issue 3624]