In the FML #2260, Edward Lipinski says:
>As a consequence of suggesting to new ferret adopters that they not
>immediately spay their juvenile female ferrets ...
>We go on to the additional suggestion that they forego spaying her, and
>instead have the yearling male vasectomized.  Thus every season when the
>female goes in heat, the male copulates and takes her out of heat and there
>are no baby ferrets to worry about.
 
I hope that this doesn't really mean what I read into it.  What I read is
that from Mr. Lipinski's shelter, he adopts out WHOLE ferrets.
Additionally, he suggests that female ferrets REMAIN whole when adopted
out with a WHOLE male ferret (which he SUGGESTS to the adopters they have
vasectomized).
 
I hope that Mr. Lipinski was just making a tongue in cheek suggestion about
how to eliminate "feral" (as if there were any) ferrets in California.
 
Mr. Lipinski, how do you go about ensuring that the adopters have the male
vasectomized?  Do you stay in contact with the adoptive parent(s)?
 
When I ran a shelter in Eugene, Oregon, it was impossible to make sure
adopters got shots for their ferrets (something relatively inexpensive), let
alone ensure that they make sure to have their ferrets fixed.  And Eugene is
much smaller than Seattle.
 
We never let a ferret out of the shelter without it being neutered.  It was
because of many small-time breeders that we had as many whole ferrets in the
shelter as we did.  Breeders who sold whole animals without letting the new
ferret owner know the consequences of leaving females whole or the stench of
leaving males whole.
 
I hope, Mr. Lipinski, that you are not truly adopting out whole ferrets.
The entire basis of our shelter system is to REDUCE the number of ferrets
in shelters, not increase it!
 
So, I urge you to stop this irresponsible practice, if it is what you are
doing.  I just hope I misinterpreted your post; that it really was a joke.
 
Melanee Ellis
The Ferret Lady
Juneau, Alaska
[Posted in FML issue 2261]