In response to those who don't understand why shelter operators and
others are so unhappy with PetSmart: I am copying here my original letter
to PetSmart as it didn't come through as an attachment when I first sent
it to FML.  I was not impolite and I did not try to bully anyone.
 
However, I invite you who think that it's perfectly fine to replace
compassion with the profit motive, as seems to be happening frequently
these days, to come and take a few of our foundlings home with you.  How
many would you like?  And how many hours a week can I count on your
volunteer help?  Or maybe you would like to foster a few of the elders
who came to us when their vet care became more than someone wanted to
pay.  If none of this suits you feel free instead to send a tax
deductible check to:
 
Kansas City Ferret Hotline Assoc. and Shelter
904 E. 28th St.
Kansas City, MO 64109
 
I, and the ferrets, will even thank you for it.
 
Bobbi McC.
Shelter Directress (and still pissed off).
 
Phillip L. Francis
 
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
PetsMart, Inc.
 
Dear Mr.Francis,
 
As the director of an urban shelter for European Domestic Ferrets I am
writing to plead with you not to sell ferrets in your stores.  Although
we are a 501c3, non-profit organization, our usual census of 40 to 50
ferrets consistently threatens to overwhelm our budget and our
all-volunteer staff's energy.  All but about 5% of our foundlings came
from pet stores originally.  People with the best of intentions buy them
for fun, for their kids, or just because they are cool.  Then they get
tired of cleaning cages, tired of the inevitable vet bills, or just plain
bored with these innocent little creatures and they dump them on us.
 
We appreciate the supportive way in which your retail store staff have
made space for us so that we might educate people about the
responsibilities, and the joys, of ferret ownership.  We try to spend
an afternoon a month at your Bannister store in Kansas City, MO and you
have helped us find homes for more than 10% of our shelter population.
For these reasons we recommend your stores to the hundreds of people who
contact us each year.  If you begin to retail ferrets we will no longer
be able to do this.  A policy of retailing ferrets represents an
insensitivity to the existence and needs of our foundlings
 
Thank you for your attention to my concerns.  I sincerely hope that you
will consider the negative effects a decision to sell ferrets will have
on the shelter community.
 
Dr. Bobbi McCanse
KC Ferret Hotline and Shelter
904 E. 28th St.
Kansas City, MO 64109
816-842-3707
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[Posted in FML issue 4705]