Elayne wrote in FML digest #5039 :
>I have a personal experience to add to the discussion of Carolina
>Ferrets selling to pet stores.  I took in two ferrets from a pet
>store in southern Oregon that purchased them from Carolina Ferrets
 
Well, that differs from what was said by that farm and such sales would
clearly place Carolina Ferret farms under the jurisdiction of APHIS (with
which it is hopefully registered and by whom it would be inspected).  (It
also perhaps conflicts with the terrible things that farm said about pet
stores in general, so why avoided as a market...)
 
To me it also says a lot about the multiple self-contradictions from
that farm among letters to the FHL, its own website text and photos, and
its letter to APHIS which is openly available to read on the APHIS docket
site.  Even more it says a lot to me about why such letters sent to the
FML show a clear (to me at least) attempt to trick ferret people into not
writing in to support APHIS having ferret-specific standards.
 
Has anyone else noticed that the few letters against such standards in
the APHIS site and the comments against such improvements in a couple of
"Ferrets" article ferret farm industry interviews pretty much all say,
"We already do that so why go to the trouble of seeing if we do that?"
Well three points:
 
1. The inspections already happen so just changing what is looked for
   doesn't change the work load
 
2. If a place is already doing those things then there is NO reason
   to object, so why do so?
 
3. Obviously, a lot of the places ARE doing the bad things or there
   would be no need for such regulations, and they would not be
   regularly discussed here on the FML year after year after year.
 
I noticed that one OTHER farm's opponent's letter was removed from the
APHIS line-up by author's choice due to personal info about a third party
accidently enclosed, but before it was removed it stated that it is fine
to sell ferrets at 5 weeks of age which interestingly is in conflict with
what a person from that farm said that farm actually does in a magazine
article, but intriguingly, that farm itself sold us a 5 week old ferret.
 
It is very interesting seeing how these farms' peoples' own statements
conflict with themselves in what is said and with them trying to
discourage regulations while insisting they are already doing the very
things proposed as regulations, even when evidence is not necessarily
in agreement.
 
It is also insulting -- at least it feels that way to me -- to FML
members to be treated as if they are stupid enough to not notice and that
they would fail to make their comments to APHIS based on such claptrap.
I mean, come on!  People here are NOT STUPID.  Sorry, but that is just
how this whole compilation *feels to me* about how FML members are being
treated.  Others may feel differently, but I sure have gotten a number
of letters from those also feeling insulted for us all.
 
To help save ferrets by supporting having ferret-vet designed fair
improvements to APHIS ferret standards send four (4) copies of a
letter to:
 
Docket No. 04-088-1
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71
4700 River Road Unit 118
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238
You must include the Docket No. 04-088-1 on your letter!
 
To read what has been said so far and to make an internet comment:
 
Go to http://www.regulations.gov/
 
Under the Agency popup menu, select Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
 
In the Keyword box, enter ferret.
Click Submit.
This will bring up a list including the original Docket APHIS-2005-0063.
Click on the Docket ID in the first column to see the current list of
comments.  The last column contains an Add Comments button, which will
bring up the comment submission form.
 
-- Sukie (not a vet)
Ferret Health List co-moderator
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives fan
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
replacing
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
International Ferret Congress advisor
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5040]