I just wanted to say what a strong and powerful letter I felt Sandi
Ackerman wrote yesterday.  It takes courage and conviction to stick ones
neck out like that.  It was also a great joy for me personally to read
that PETCO isn't selling rabbits anymore--if I understood that correctly.
 
I spend once every two weeks at a PETCO store.  There is all too often a
different crew.  But they will let you look at the birth certificates if
you say you want to buy a fert.  Usually over here, they are about 6 weeks
old.  That means they were taken from mom at 4 or 5 weeks for surgery.  It
is simply too young.  Yet, I understand there are no laws to stop this.And
new staff usually knows nothing about ferts here.
 
Children are still allowed to hold a wiggling fert standing up.  I hear the
stories about the babies being dropped on their heads and injured on a
regular basis.  Chewy was left in Cedar bedding, and I was lied to when
manager said he was being treated by vet in back room.  He almost died, and
has permanent lung damage from PETCO.
 
It is so easy to be a poor needy shelter with loving heart and best
intentions to be bribed by rich powerful businesses unless one understands
that he IS being bribed.  Then it just takes looking at a few shelters and
hearing the horror stories to realize that if everyone unites on this and
doesn't give in to PETCO, we may be able to keep ferret shelters no-kill
shelters.
 
These are my beliefs.
Thank you Sandi Ackerman at House Rabbit Society.
 
Lisette
[Posted in FML issue 2675]