I offer no proof of any of this except to say that I stay on top of
such things
 
That being said I tried to remain objective, however...........
 
I also know where the kits are being bootlegged by breeders selling to
pet stores without the required USDA license, and doing the surgery
themselves with no anesthesia and box cutters, and nasty conditions.
This is very stressful to watch, but watch I did--not on my kits, and
I always insist on an experienced veterinarian with my kits and full
anesthesia and controlled surgical sanitary conditions in a vet's
office, but a breeder wanted to show me his expertise in doing his own
surgery so I went and watched and wish I hadn't.  Kits done like that
at around 4 weeks of age do not survive well if at all, but it is a
cheaper way to do it and for some people the only way to do it.
 
If you are truly aware of these things happening, with first hand
knowledge, I believe that makes you a facilitator to a crime.  I think
any law enforcement agency would find this to be animal cruelty and you
have an obligation to report it.
 
I know where pet stores are taking blue pens and putting tatoos on
ferrets that would indicate that they came from a USDA licensed facility
(pet stores are supposed to only buy from a USDA licensed facility).  I
know where the USDA facilities are that market wholesale, but with no
tatoo.  I know which are gassed, which are electrocuted, which get their
throats slashed, which are fed raw chicken, which will end up for tissue
harvesting, which are fed raw fish and have mouth infections from bones,
and which are left to starve.  I know far more than I would like to,
but as to proof, I will continue to be someone that a breeder can trust
to help them, not judge them , or I would not be enabled to help at all.
The ferrets would just die rather than being brought to someone's
attention who has a willingness to try to help with confidentiality.
 
Again, if you are aware that someone is committing a crime, you have an
obligation to report it to the proper authorities.  You are 'enabling'
a crime by being 'trusted' by these 'breeders' and pet stores to keep
quiet.
 
Depending on the scale of these alleged crimes, time that you have been
aware of these ongoing crimes, what gain you or the others have had in
these criminal activities, and that the pet stores are allegedly
fraudulently selling ferrets, the government could find that it was an
ongoing criminal enterprise.  Being that USDA regulations are being
broken, it could be a federal charge.  I strongly suggest that you report
what you have first hand knowledge of to the USDA, local humane society
and local law enforcement agencies.  If you won't, I'm sure that plenty
of people who have read your post will.
 
Leslie Cucino
[Posted in FML issue 5027]