I posted this to the Yahoo Message Group of a very prominent cat & dog
spay/neuter organization in GA.  I urge everyone to do the same to every
cat & dog organization they know.  The ferret community doesn't have the
numbers to impact PetsMart's decision, but involving the rest of the
companion pet enthusiasts will.
 
This is everyone's problem.
 
************************************
   Subject:  Will PetsMart be selling cats & dogs next?
 
Greetings,
 
I am new to the list.  My name is Juliana Quadrozzi & I run FERRET
BUSINESS of GA.  FBoG is incorporated as GA nonprofit & licensed by
the Dept. of Agriculture since 2000.  Currently we have 11 foster
homes & do somewhere around 60-70 adoptions a year.  Our inhouse fosters
number anywhere from 50 to 70.  We accept ferrets from animal control
agencies & humane organizations (including Fulton Animal Services, Cobb
AC, Dekalb AC, Gwinnett AC, Henry AC, Hall AC, Paulding AC, Rockdale AC,
& Athens HS), veterinarians, owner surrenders, strays, & non-ferret
rescue groups.
 
I am writing to you about a matter that involves all of us.  PetsMart is
in the process of a pilot program to determine whether or not they will
begin selling ferrets in their stores nationally & in Canada.
 
This is not just a ferret issue.  How would the welfare of cats & dogs,
as well as ferrets, be impacted if PetsMart sells kits (baby ferrets)
in their 700+ stores across the US & Canada?
 
Obviously, increased sales would mean that there would be such a glut of
homeless ferrets that the already overwhelmed, out-of-pocket shelters,
like FERRET BUSINESS of GA (1 of only 2 shelters in GA) would not be
capable of keeping up w/the demand of ferrets needing a place to go
when the novelty wears off.
 
According to PetsMart's website they have 700+ stores.  If each US store
were to sell only 1 ferret per quarter, it would mean an additional 2,800
ferrets.  At the rate of only 1 ferret sold per month, the # soars to
8,400 additional ferrets sold in a market that doesn't have the resources
to handle the current discards.  Most animal control agencies & humane
organizations do not handle ferrets & either euthanize them or transfer
them to a private ferret shelter.
 
It would mean that many more kits would die after being prematurely
neutered (ideally, ferrets should not be sexually altered before maturity
at about 7 months) & shipped for retail at 6 weeks of age, whether or
not they were sufficiently developed enough to be weaned & taken from
their mothers, as is already common practice.  Kits are shipped 20 to a
wood & wire crate with inadequate food, water, or protection from extreme
temperatures.  Too often kits are shipped before erupting permanent
teeth, creating a situation of malnutrition because they can't eat
kibble, diarrhea, & prolapsed rectums.  If not left to die in the back
room, the lucky few of the physically compromised kits are released to
area ferret shelters, without any compensation to cover their expenses
or medical costs.  It would also mean that there would be more ferrets
being bred, when there are already thousands of homeless ferrets in
private US & Canadian shelters.
 
Ultimately it's public opinion (which impacts their reputation & sales)
that will dictate their offerings.  I was a PetsMart customer because
they didn't sell pets & promoted adoption from rescues.  Slowly,
unnoticeably, their policy is changing.  First it was fish, then small
animals & birds, now it's ferrets.  How long will it be before they start
selling cats & dogs too?
 
Please distribute & cross post this information.  Help the ferret
community protect ferrets from suffering the same fate as so many
cats & dogs who are acquired through retail on impulse & then
casually abandoned, neglected, or abused, or euthanized simply
because they have nowhere else to go.
 
Here's the link to let PetsMart know that you oppose their intentions
to sell ferrets:
http://www.petitiononline.com/fer8hapy/petition.html
 
Rational, well thought out, informative letters of disapproval &
opposition cc:ed to all PetsMart executive management
http://www.irconnect.com/petm/pages/management.html
 & board of directors
http://www.irconnect.com/petm/pages/board.html
will command even more attention.  The PetsMart organization has to be
made to realize that the controversy over selling ferrets isn't based
on the emotions of animal right fanatics.  Instead, the foundation of our
position must be that their consumers, who are opposed to this venture &
have far-reaching connections, will effectively work to insure that
selling ferrets will not be a profitable endeavor.
 
Please don't let this opportunity to stop this venture, before it
becomes policy, slip by.  Ferrets are the last step before cats &
dogs.  By protecting ferrets from PetsMart mass marketing, you will
be protecting the future welfare of cats & dogs.
 
Please feel free to call me (very little time to sit in front of a
keyboard) to address any of your questions or concerns.  And thank
you for your support.
 
Juliana Quadrozzi
FERRET BUSINESS of GA
www.ferretbusiness.petfinder.com
Message Group  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fbog/
770-984-1417  7pm-10:30pm
[Posted in FML issue 4786]