I have tremendous respect for Pam Grant and the work that she has done for
the benefit of us as owners and for ferrets themselves.  I understand fully
her view of the future where shelters are the sole source for ferrets.  I
also greatly appreciated her response to Ed Lipinski and am very glad that
he is coming under some strong scrutiny for comments he has made.
 
I wanted to give a perspective on why some of us prefer to buy from pet
stores.  When we first wanted to adopt a ferret, we approached Ed Lipinski,
one of the larger "shelter" owners in the Northwest.  We toured his garage
where he has his rows of cages and spent time visiting with those ferrets he
allows to burrow in his driveway.  We also discovered that if we adopted a
ferret from him, we were involving ourselves in a long term relationship
where he would expect regular updates on the ferret health and status.  This
was in order that he could track his breeding practices over time.  I wanted
to adopt a ferret.  I did not want to adopt Ed Lipinski.  We chose to look
elsewhere.
 
Sandi Ackerman, owner of the Best Little Rabbit, Rodent, and Ferret House
similarly turned us away from ferret adoption.  She wants to inquire about
the personal finances of her prospective adoptees to ensure that the ferret
will be able to receive surgeries as necessary and other veterinary
services.  I consider this a violation of my privacy as well.  It is because
of people like these that many of us will prefer to utilize the service
provided by pet stores.  I am delighted with our decision to buy one from a
local store and am not the least concerned that she is a Marshall Farms
ferret.
 
Please, shelters owners/operators, understand that you are not helping your
charges at all by driving away adoptees by being intrusive and stringent.  I
do understand that you do not want to get the ferret back again by making
wrong choices, but you must be as respectful of the people that you deal
with as you are to the ferrets.  If, Pam, this can be remembered, then your
dream may indeed become a reality.
 
Larry Tilford
[Posted in FML issue 2142]