>From:    Ann Phillips <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Questions on MF &  thoughts on Kevin Cowherd.
 
I can't speak for the AFA but about them...
 
The AFA has been in nearly constant contact with Marshall Farms and has
always tried to "fix" what is broken.  The AFA has problems with some
Marshall policies on extremely early altering and the fate of retired
breeders.  MF is not silent on these issues but they do not apparently chose
to speak to this forum.  Its possibly based on the same silly politics as
this list is unfortunately seen as LIFE territory and will not be frequented
by some people because they feel they are attacked too much.  BIG and I have
discussed this and have agreed to disagree.  Amicably though.
 
They are silent on the fate of retired breeders but being a profit driven
company as basically all companies are they have to do what allows profit.
 
They have stated that they can not track the genetics in the cases of the
cancers.  This is why our offereing a solution and volunteering to help is
the best approach.  If we remove their reason for not being able to track
the cases then we facilitate the understanding of the problem.
 
>I wonder what the reaction would have been if he choose a racial group, some
>disabled people or golfers?
 
Ferret owners can not be compared to racial groups or disabled people
because ferret ownership is a choice while race and disabilities are not.
Now they can be compared to golfers because that too is done by choice.
 
We don't feel as strongly about the article as others but we are sure the
furor is way out of proportion and is just giving it more attention than it
deserves.
 
>From:    Robert Ivey <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Contribution to MF debate
>I told myself to stay out of this debate,
 
Well now you are enemy just like us...
 
>If MF or any other breeder did the test, wouldn't it be too easy to say that
>the tests were flawed?
 
Doesn't matter the results if its not independant it would be seen by
whichever side it goes against as flawed.  But a co-operateive and yet
independant study would be harder to denounce by the "losers".  But there
would not really be losers since it would show the real problem and offer
guidance to the solution.
 
>From:    Sheba Williamson <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: MF ?, Fert ?
>Thru all the debate going on about Marshall Farms, I haven't seen any
>mention of the only known insider - Judith Bell, DVM.
 
We've never made it a secret that she has been our key source of information
and it was specifically mentioned in a quoted post from AFA president, Sally
Heber that she was their key source of information.  She also is the only
named source of "inside" information the "anti-Marshall" forces that have
gotten the majority of their information from Howard Davis and LIFE.  Well
also the known ferret hater Rachel Lamb.  Check the articles on the Web and
all other cited folks tend to talk about ferrets in general or
transportation issues that haven't been the focus of our discussions.
 
We talked specifically to Dr. Bell about the attacks and what was and wasn't
true in the charges.  She talked about the improvements made in the cages at
her insistance for example.
 
Basically we all are debating our takes on what Dr. Bell has told us or what
others have made of what she told them.  Though we also have information
thats come through Pete Reid and others at MF.  There are other insiders and
many in the ferret world talk to them.  Even the Marshall family itself will
talk to people as long as it is a discussion and not an attack.
 
Don't expect Dr. Bell to be too public anymore.  After the articles from
LIFE (in 1994-5) she received death threats and suffered medical problems
from the stress.  She talked about this at the Small Mammal Veterinary
conference in 1996.  Ferrets lost one of their very best friends due to
wrongheaded actions by those that should have been helping ferrets.
 
These articles also broke down the unification movement with in the ferret
community that was going on at that time.  At the time LIFE was becoming the
organization that folks were agreeing to unite under.  But it got too
political in the person to person stuff with the anti-Marshall articles as
weapons in that war.
 
>There needs to be a person working on the inside willing to build or not to
>build a case on MF.
 
This is why it is a real shame that Dr. Bell was driven out of Marshall by
the attacks when she was the one co-operating with the "outside world".
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1989]