I'm posting this anonymously since the importance isn't who the author
is, but the message I hope it brings.

I have a lot of early childhood memories. My grandparents were farmers.
Very poor farmers who raised eleven children. Not a one of those
children ever got into trouble with the law and were good parents to
their children.

It was always a treat when we went to visit the farm. There were barn
cats, so sometimes we had a new litter of kittens to check out. We
could never catch them, so they were admired from afar. Then there were
the barn animals that Gram-pa would take us out to see; it was always
such a treat. Milk cows, the calves, sows with new piglets, and the
chickens. Gathering eggs. We were never allowed to get too close to the
larger animals. We were taught to respect them all. Now and then you
were allowed to walk the rutted path along the pasture, back to the
fragrant smelling woods.

Gram-pa and Gram-ma's house sat on the top of a hill, on a curve. It
didn't matter which direction you came from, you couldn't miss it. An
old house with wooden siding; barely a hint of paint on it. As a child,
I always wondered why they never painted it. Same with the old barn.

The house had the faded and worn remains of ancient linoleum on the
floor, sparse furniture, an old coal stove with a rusty stovepipe that
disappeared through the wall, and no running water. It wasn't until
the mid 1960's that my dad put an addition on their humble home and
installed indoor plumbing, putting the old outhouse out of business.
Hardly what I would have considered middle class, even for those years.

We usually went to visit on Sunday, after dinner. Occasionally, we were
invited to stay for supper. This meant Gram-pa would go out and be-head
a couple of chickens and Gram-ma would scald and dress the birds. Those
were the best chicken dinners I ever tasted. It was the way things were
done. The chickens were raised to feed the family. What hogs weren't
butchered and used by the family were sent to market. The same with the
other livestock.

The barn wasn't much to look at, but it was probably kept in better
repair than their home. Why not, since it was was what provided their
sustenance in life. You invest in what brings home the bacon. If your
livelihood depends upon your car, you make sure you keep it running.
If you earn your living by your computer, you protect that investment.
My grandparents focused more on keeping the barn and chicken coop
serviceable and investing in electric powered milk machines than
upgrades to their home.

I remember a few other things about the farm. Table scraps were fed to
the dog or hogs. House trash went into the burn barrel. Scrap burnables
such as fallen branches and the odd piece of wood were put into a pile,
and were burned in the fall. Metal scrap, including tin cans, was put
into barrels, and when it had sufficiently accumulated, was hauled off,
probably being sold to the scrap metal salvage. It was a humble farm,
but to be productive, had to be neat and efficiently operated.

Grandpa died at 97 years of age. He had to give up farming quite a few
years before leaving this world. When he no longer could take care of
the animals, they closed that portion of the farm. Several of my uncles
still helped with the planting and harvesting of the fields. Eventually
farmlands were sold to provide income for his declining years. It was
the end of an era, that family farm of my childhood memories. Once the
assets were used, financial aid programs, social security,
Medicare/Medicaid, etc., kicked in and provided for his care in the
rest home for the remainder of his days. He didn't elect to keep
animals in declining or deplorable conditions, just so he could eat.

So, what does this trip down memory lane have to do with ferrets? Those
that would defend Doug McKay either have no clue to what farming really
entails or simply wish to antagonize those who would like to put a stop
to this blight. I do realize different areas of our country have
different standards, however, even the poorest areas in the mountains
of West Virginia I've seen isn't any worse than Mr. McKay's property.
Poor doesn't equate trashy and dirty. I'm not saying Doug is a bad
person; but, what he is doing, is. ( I am not trying to put a bad light
on those from West Virginia. It is a beautiful state, however it does
have some of our country's most economically challenged citizens.)

I don't care what excuse Doug McKay and his descendants use, nor anyone
that defends him. We all know what excuses are like, and yes, everyone
has one. The conditions at Doug McKay's property are not justified by
simply qualifying it as a farming operation, and anyone that thinks the
conditions on that property are normal farming practices needs to get
out and look at today's farmers. I've lived 1/2 mile from one of the
largest dairy operations in the area and those animals have all but
flush toilets! It is all automated and sanitary! A clean house is a
safe house is a productive house.

So, I think the question begs to be asked: Is Doug McKay's stock
agricultural (fur) or domestic (pet trade)? I believe his daughter
already answered that for us, if she is being honest. This only helps
define which laws might apply. If his stock is ultimately intended for
the pet industry, he needs to play by those rules. However, the most
important issue, to me, is the conditions these living creatures are
being housed in regardless of destination. You can be poor, and still
be compassionate, neat, organized and clean.

Also, to say that Doug McKay has been inspected in the past and was
always been approved (passed inspection) is simply not true. I was told
by Doug McKay, personally, that he had failed his USDA inspection; they
had revoked his permit to sell to pet stores at that time. He claimed
it was due to cobwebs in the rafters but I suspect it was more likely
the algae in the water pans or the deep piles of feces in and beneath
the cages. Maybe even something to do with where the winter's losses
were decomposing somewhere nearby.

As for winters in Ohio, the farm reports will broadcast when temps and
wind chills drop to levels that present danger to livestock, and advise
farmers to act accordingly, providing protection from the elements.
This means protect your stock. Your investment. However, Doug, ET AL,
has enough surplus stock, that loss prevention isn't an issue, as
evidenced by the odor of decaying corpses, mixed with the odor of the
feces, which prevailed during my visits. Only the strong survive is
his mantra.

If you haven't been to this piece of property, please don't defend this
operation. If you have been there, and it doesn't bother you, then I
have a pretty good idea of what your standards are, and you are no
better than he is. I have been to Doug McKay's property, and I assure
you the pictures have not been tampered with. I am not associated
with the group currently attempting to affect changes regarding his
operation, nor any in the past. That doesn't mean I don't believe in
the need for action or won't support them fully should it ever make it
to a court action.

I haven't read the preliminary affidavits on the MFRAN website yet. I
saw that property. Whether the posted affidavits are legal or not is
unimportant. If this issue proceeds and a case number is assigned to
the court docket, affidavits can be taken if the representation feels
it is needed, and those will be admissible in court. Libel is only
actionable if it is not factual.

Everyone has an opinion -just like an excuse. Either you are part of
the problem or part of the solution. Decide which you are going to be.
It will tell the world a lot about you. Then align yourself with the
cause you wish to support. If you feel defending Doug McKay's breeding
and husbandry standards are acceptable, stand behind him and help him
get that attorney to protect his right to continue to 'farm' in the
manner he has been for decades.

However, if you haven't visited the property, vacation in Ohio if
possible, and stop by to see Doug McKay's beautiful ferrets at Unique
Impressions Ferretry. I guarantee it will leave you with a unique
impression. Then align yourself behind the brave compassionate group
that is trying to bring about life-changing improvement for the
unfortunate ferrets trapped there.

So, what is 'my' excuse? I guess it must be "I didn't know any better".
I made a second trip to McKay's and felt I rescued two cold, wet
ferrets to the tune of two hundred dollars. One couldn't even walk for
a week or two after I got him home, his leg muscles were so atrophied.
Would I do it again? Probably not, as paying a ransom isn't going to
help, long term. Closing Unique Impressions and changing pertinent
laws to prevent future like- endeavors are the way to proceed.

Quote for the day:

"I have always been fond of the West African proverb "Speak softly
and carry a big stick; you will go far." "       -Teddy Roosevelt


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[Posted in FML 5545]