Hello All!
 
Normally I reserve my opinions if I don't feel qualified to join a debate
and if I do chime in I do so with my own name attached.  In this case,
however, I do feel like I have enough experience to voice my opinion and I
would like this debate to continue on the FML vs.  through private flames.
 
The choice that the two clubs involved made was voluntary and, I'm sure,
well thought out before they accepted money from Petco.  I don't see what
is wrong with letting a company give something back to a community that
they feel they may have wronged.  What they are giving back is way more
than money.  In the flyer that they will send to however many ferrets
owners in the midwest, the names of the two Ohio clubs will be mentioned.
This will benefit shelters and clubs throughout the region due to the
education that such a thing exists.  It took me two years of ferret
ownership before I had ever heard of a ferret club or a ferret shelter and
longer than that before I ever heard of a ferret show.  What this will
bring to the party is a whole lot more people that will be interested in
the activities of a ferret club, ferret clubs are often associated with
shelters, and more shelter ferrets will be placed region-wide through this
type of advertising.  Those shelter ferrets that get adopted may very well
be ferrets NOT purchased at a pet store due to a better informed ferret
owner/enthusiast.
 
If Petco sells more ferret SUPPLIES due this advertising, who loses?  Very
informed owners still buy pet store ferrets, so if anyone's mind can be
guided to privately-bred or shelter ferrets, what's the harm?
 
Also, I think Ms. Ackerman has confused two different issues.  The first
being whether or not clubs holding shows should accept money from large
pet store chains.  I handled most of this issue in the above section, but
I have a couple more comments:
 
1) As someone who has helped to put on a ferret show, when someone offers
you money, you take it.  You take it from breeders you've never heard of,
companies you have heard of, but don't always agree with, vendors whose
products may be faulty in some way (not that you know until after the
show), and a variety of other sources.  My point is that a ferret show is a
costly affair and if the cash comes in, you can bet that, except in extreme
cases (harmful products, or very bad practices), you take the money.
 
2) The less effort required to solicit sponsors, the more money you have
left over after the show to spend on issues that are important to the club.
You also have more money and time for advertising to get more people to
come to the show and go home better informed and able to inform others.
 
The second issue that has come up is whether or not Petco should sell
ferrets.  This issue is unrelated to the show issue in some ways.  Do I
wish that everyone got all their ferrets from good quality breeders that
kept high standards of care for their own ferrets and the ferrets they
adopt out?  Yes.  Do I think that all ferrets deserve a warm, and loving
home?  Yes.  Do I think that acting like an idiot and sending ranting,
raving letters to a Petco is going to encourage them to change anything?
No.  Do I think that some exposure to the sane portion of the ferret
community will net better relations and hence change?  Yes.  Do I think
that we will ever see a day when ferrets are not sold in pet stores?  No.
The key is to have good relationships with the stores, inform them of their
options regarding care information and your opinion on how they keep their
ferrets housed and cared for within the store.
 
Ms. Ackerman, you have stated that the House Rabbit Society has
successfully changed the mind of Petco on its policy regarding selling
rabbits.  For this, I applaud you and the others who effected this change.
What I ask is how this happened?  What steps did you take to make this
happen?  I feel sure that it was not just failing to accept money from
Petco that made them change their minds.  We all have concerns about
ferrets in pet stores and perhaps your experience with the rabbits could be
put to use in encouraging stores not to sell ferrets.  I look forward to
hearing from you.
 
Thank you for your time!
 
[RF]
[Posted in FML issue 2676]