I'd like to see rescue/shelters chime in her on how many of them ask for
social security numbers or credit card numbers.  None?  How about someone's
sex life?  How they feel about abortion?  Then what's the deal on invading
privacy?  There are a wide variety of reasons to ask.  The questions asked
are pertinent to determining whether the home will be a good one for the
life of the animal (outside of unforseen life alterating events that can
happen).  Good placement policies can also save a toddler from being bit.
Any dog/cat/horse etc.  breeder worth their salt does the same.  They ask a
TON of questions, often pick out the dog/cat from the litter for the home
(since they know the pesonality of the puppy/kitten), makes the adopter
sign a contract etc.  etc.  Anything less and your not being responsible
for the life that you bred or rescue'd.  Think about the responsbility from
the other side.  They do their damndest because if a dog/cat or ferret goes
of into a less suitable home - they end up feeling guilty even though no
one can ever be sure.  Not to mention the animal suffering.  These kinds of
questions and contracts are common in almost every other type of animal and
personally I wonder sometimes if people think ferrerts are somehow "less"
than dogs or cats.  No one supports the idea of puppy mills right?  Or
buying a dog in a pet store because it came from a puppy mill?  The dog/cat
etc.  people are out there trying to educate Joe Q Public as much as they
can and still 10 million or more dogs and cats are put to sleep every year
despite their efforts.  I don't want to see ferrets swell that statistic.
If your philosophy about animal care as relates to how you would take care
of an animal is that important to you....
 
Mary, Booker the rescue dog and Boris and Giesela the fuzzbutts
[Posted in FML issue 2292]