Hey Bob I just want to go on record as loving your posts.  I admit I don't
always have time to read them thoroughly but you are one of my favorite
posters.
 
25 years ago I could have been ignorant enough to buy a puppy or kitten at a
pet store.  The information about puppy mills just wasn't that readily
available and it was an accepted practice.  In the last 25 years though
information on where these puppies come from, and all the other good reasons
not to buy puppies from a pet store, above and beyond where they come from,
have resulted in fewer pet stores selling puppies and kittens.  More and
more animal people are outraged by the by the few pet stores that do.  Today
if you buy a puppy or kitten from a pet store your considered to not have
done even the most minimum amount of thinking and research to really be a
considered anything but an impulse buyer who is supporting death farms.  MF
practices or allegations thereof aside, I don't like the attitude that
ferrets are somehow second class citizens to dogs and cats.  If you want
them treated the same for things like rabies quarantines, legalization etc.
you must consider them the same.  Wholesaling and retailing any companion
animal is just not appropriate.  Regardless of the breeder who's
wholesaling, the standard is to buy from a reputable breeder who weans,
vaccinates and socializes their animals responsibly and educates
prospectives pet owners.  While I'm glad for those people who "discovered"
ferrets in pet stores its still no excuse for buying one there.  If you did
this don't continue to support the practice as some sort of guilt rellated
defense mechanism.  Get over it and move on (i.e. don't do it again) we all
make mistakes.  Those same pet stores carry ferret magazines and books which
mention breeders and shelters as sources.  Before you take any pet home your
supposed to educate yourself and therefore should know this from those
appropriate sources.  As for availability in places like California - there
are people out there who probably want to give theirs up.  Vets and vet
receptionists sometimes know who these people are.  There is a network.
There are breeders in Oregon and New Mexico.  Even without MF someday
California will fall.  If you think ferrets are equal to cats and dogs then
try to keep them out of pet stores period.  Responsible ferret ownership
goes way beyond JUST MF.
 
Mary, Boris and Giesela (and Booker the rescue dog too)
[Posted in FML issue 2229]