>From:    jlindquist <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: why breed at all?
>... This post is just my opinion.  Why are people breeding when there
>are so many ferrets in shelters across the US and other places that are
>waiting for homes?
 
This post is just my opinion.  Because of people like me.  I have three
ferrets, two are from a shelter, but the third was a petshop kid.  I
encourage and applaud everyone who adopts, but if you haven't brought home
an 8 wk old bundle of spazattack, watched it zip around your ankles until
it crashes, then gently cuddled the sleeping bundle of fuzzylove.  You've
missed out.  Ferret math almost hit me today because I just can't learn to
look the other way when I walk past the kits in the petshop.  Instead I
came home and spent extra time with the three that already own me, but it
was hard, and if he's still there tomorrow and I'm not strong... but I'm
way off the topic... The main reason people breed ferrets is because people
buy baby ferrets.  Other good reasons would be, to continue a particularly
desirable trait, to improve longevity, to achieve new colours or markings.
I don't fault the breeders.  I fault the impulse buyer.  It took me an
hour to decide I should go home and think about it some more.  I fault
the people who don't see it as a long term commitment.  Instant pet, gets
sick take it to the shelter and get another one, I may be wrong but I
don't think I can really fault the breeders.
 
Christopher & Crew
http://christopher.bennett.org
 
Ferret Health List
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list
 
(disclaimer: Any medical opinions expressed by me should be immediately
relayed to a licensed, practicing veterinarian to give him or her a good
belly laugh.)
[Posted in FML issue 3352]