I went back to one of the PetSmarts that I left brochures at; The ones
I left out front on the info wall next to the ZooPhile newspaper were
completely gone.  Either a lot of people were interested, or the store
removed them.  However, on the ferret and rabbit aisle inside, the
brochures I sneaked into a holder there (housing store brochures on hamster
and gerbil care-how odd to put that right next to the ferret stuff) and
those were still there.  Sooo...I hope people are getting the info.  I
spent a whole weekend folding 400 copies of them :)
 
I also sent a little email to the staff writers of PetSmart regarding their
silly article on "Small Animal" bedding options.  THey DID picture a ferret
lying on shavings, as one poster said yesterday.  I politely wrote that
ferrets should no longer be grouped in their "Small Animal" generalization,
because the other small animals require very different types of care.  I
wrote that I do not want "people thinking that Ferrets are rodent-type
animals, and can be kept in a cage full of unsanitary bedding, given an
excercise wheel, and left alone."
 
I am fighting desparately in my own area to educate and set people right on
ferrets.  It's especially hard for me to get through to pet store owners,
which is a shame.  The whole bedding thing for PetSmart is so they can
sell big bags of their shavings and bedding, instead of having the ferrets
sleeping in more comfy, MUCH cheaper blankies and soft things.
 
Sad when the life and well being of an innocent animal is marketed and
merchandised.
 
~Jessica and the thrifty Raisinettes
[Posted in FML issue 3174]