I just had to jump in on this discussion.  Last year I had my two ferrets
in my dorm room at college  The year before i had been in a small house
with friends, so the issue never came up, but last year I was approached
by my hall director and told to "get rid of" my ferrets.  The pet
legislature in the student handbook had no safety net for animals that
had been voted in previously; it simply said that anything short of a
unanimous floor vote required "removal of the animal."  The choice of
words that kept coming up really burned me up.  "Get rid of them."
"Remove them."  I felt like I was expected to put my girls out on the
curb with the trash!  For all the thought that went into that legislature,
you'd think they were talking about illegal microwaves or something.
Sorry if I'm getting up on my soapbox here, but I feel it's appropriate
for this discussion.  I worked at a pet store a few years ago, and several
times had to deal with ferrets being returned because people decided they
didn't like them anymore, or they required more care than a hamster.  For
one thing, before getting ANY animal you should find out what kind of
care it needs, but that's beside the point.  I want to yell at people like
that: "This is a living creature with feelings!  Not a pair of shoes!"
It's already been said how caring for an animal is a committment for the
life of that animal, and I couldn't agree more.  OK, end of rant, I
promise!  It's just that this is an issue I could go on and on about
(don't worry, I won't!) One other thing: I am also in my 20s, and am also
wondering how one can "outgrow" a ferret!
 
Rachel and da wild weaselinas
 
=====
"Go ahead, call the cops
You don't meet nice girls in coffee shops"
 
                      -- Tom Waits
[Posted in FML issue 3657]