Anne Ryan <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>LOS-NJ will no longer permit kit sales or adoptions of any type to take
>>place at it's shows or on the grounds of same.
 
Derek & Amy Flemming <[log in to unmask]>replied:
>WHAT!?!?!  Half of the ferrets I sell, I sell at ferret shows or because
>of ferret shows!  Many ferrets that are in shelters are adopted out at
>ferret shows!
 
and
zen and the art of ferrets - bill and diane <[log in to unmask]>replied
>You will meet with a lot of resistance on this.  In ferrets as well as most
>show animals, shows are where sales are made.
 
I have to agree with Derek/Amy and the Killians here.  While I think that
Ann has some good points about impulse buying etc etc etc, I also have to
turn to the flip side and say that at last year's LOS Show I sold a few kits
and as a result met lots of fellow hobby breeders who were interested in my
ferrets that I a) otherwise would never have met and b) never would have
gotten ahold of my kits if I hadn't had them for sale at the show.
 
Shows in the US are a great opportunity for me, being Canadian, to sell kits
to other breeders, which gives them new Canadian blood to work with and
gives me the chance to get my hands on some of the fine American ferrets I
now have.
 
There are also a couple of folks on this list that have ferrets they
purchased from me at last year's show that I'm sure wouldn't have them
otherwise.
 
While I'm sure for localized breeders this is a fine policy, since potential
customers can visit the breeders later and do their purchasing on their own
time, for those of who travel a long way and aren't likely to have customers
come and visit, shows are a great way to get our ferrets out there.  It
certainly makes me rethink participating in this year's Washington show, if
this policy extends to all divisions of LOS.  Last year the few kits I sold
(and by the way I had to fight my way through interested people to get to my
ferrets, there were so many folks trying to buy them, which indicates to me
that lots of people come to shows to buy ferrets) paid for the travel time
and entry fees to the show, which made it all worth my time.
 
Perhaps there's a viable alternative to a No Sales Policy that could be
implemented?  Nope, I don't have one but with all the intelligent people
involved in the large sanctioning organizations, I'm sure someone can think
of something.
 
Sheena and the    |  proud LOMIG member  8-)
Wherret Ferrets!  |  "to be sane in a world of madness
Come see us at:   |    is in itself a kind of madness"
           http://www2.portal.ca/~wherret/
[Posted in FML issue 2219]