Hello all,
 
I have been communicating with the President of the company that runs
TheFerretStore.com since I read their decision on the FML yesterday.
 
This is the first email I sent to him:
 
I read earlier today on the Ferret Mailing List that your company has
decided to continue to sell products for ferrets that are harmful to
them.  I was very disappointed to read this and I'm sorry to say that I
will no longer be patronizing your store.  I have purchased many items
from you in the past for my cats, rabbits, ferrets and hamsters, and
was planning on purchasing a new cage for my ferrets from you, but I
was waiting to hear your response on this issue.  I'm glad I waited.
I'm sorry to hear that you believe you should continue selling harmful
products simply because you want the business.  If I were in your
situation, I would personally rather it not be me that sold these
products, but I can see where your priorities lie.  Are you planning
on mentioning on your site that treats like Yogies are indigestible by
ferrets?  If not, then you are not being responsible businesspeople OR
ferret lovers.
 
I hope you reconsider your decision.
 
Danielle Warga
 
This was his response:
 
Hi Danielle -
 
Thanks for your comments.  Sorry you don't agree with our position on
this issue, but we feel it is up to the consumer to choose products that
they deem acceptable for their pets.  An example of this in the real
world is McDonalds and Burger King - we know that eating that food is
bad for us, but we make a choice whether to eat it or not.  The same is
true in this instance.  We are providing customers with ingredietns,
guaranteed analysis and recommended healthy treats - we leave it up to
them to choose to feed them or not.
 
Believe me, nobody is making money off of selling "bad" ferret treats.
 
If we pull the yogies for ferrets, ferret owners who feed those treats
are going to buy yogies for dogs.  Did that make a difference, no.  We
have added a list of recommended treats to our website, as well as
information on what is good and bad for ferrets when selecting food and
treats.
 
Scott Sanfilippo
President & Curmudgeon at Large
Neeps Incorporated
This was the second email I sent to him:
 
But my point is, if you stop selling them, you will be sending people a
message that says YOGIES ARE BAD FOR FERRETS.  By continuing to sell
them, you are sending the message that Yogies are okay for ferrets to
eat.  Were I one of your apparently many uninformed customers, I would
assume that any products you sold on your website for ferrets were good
for them.  As I asked you before, are you going to tell people on your
website that Yogies are indigestible by ferrets?  Recommending another
product is not enough.  People need to get it into their heads that
ferrets are CARNIVORES and that they have no cecums.  This is not the
way to send that message.
 
And this was his response:
 
We are working on several information data sheets about choosing ferret
treats and ferret foods that will be posted on the website as soon as
they are complete.
 
 
Scott Sanfilippo
President & Curmudgeon at Large
Neeps Incorporated
 
None of his responses were very surprising to me, but I'm hoping that
if enough of us protest their dangerous practices, the pressure will
eventually be enough for them to discontinue selling unsafe products.
People may buy them elsewhere, but at least we, as responsible ferret
parents, will be able to buy their products in good conscience.
 
Danielle Warga, mom to two fuzzies and eight other fur and shell kids
[Posted in FML issue 4887]