This past Fri. I went to Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park Ca. with a few
friends.  I had heard somewhere that they had ferrets there (which suprised
me, because I had read somewhere that they were anti-ferret, and had
produced anti-ferret literature...not 100% sure on that though)
 
Anyway...While in the Petting zoo (which was so sad...none of the animals
had available food except what people bought and fed them)I didn't directly
see the ferrets.  There was a building with a glass window, and three
dividers.  In one section was a raccoon, a bobcat was in another, and in the
3rd section was a big cage with a hammock...couldn't see what was in it.  I
asked an employee, and she told me that there were two ferrets in there, and
if I wanted to see them, they would be in "Smokey (bears) Animal Friends"
wild animal show.
 
So I drug my friends there to see it with me.  They had many wild and exotic
animals, bobcats, macaws, raccoon, etc.  And of course the two ferrets.  The
ferrets ran out to the trainer, and she picked them up and introduced them
as ferrets; and went on to describe them as "wild animals who burrowed into
rabbit holes in the wild and hunted rabbits for food." Then the trainer put
the ferrets into this little plastic "simulation rabbit burrow" with many
sharp twists, and demonstrated the ferrets ability to burow into rabbit
holes.  Next she had them run out to a tree stump and gave them a treat for
"being soooo good." They scarfed down the treats like they hadn't had food
in awhile.  To close the ferret section of "the show", they thanked Ca.  for
giving them the permit to "educate" the public about ferrets, and have them
so people could see what ferrets are like, and explained that "yes, ferrets
are cute, and you may want one for a pet, but they are illegal here."
 
The way they portrayed them was so sickening, and to hear it at a place like
that, where it is spread to 100's of people daily (4 times a day, except for
Tues.), just really makes me mad.  I know I will be writing a letter to them
saying I will never go back there again, so long as they portray and treat
the ferrets in that way; and the rest of their animals for that matter too
(I have the address, just have to find out what their zip code is).  Here's
a great example of the ignorance that Ca. has to overcome.
 
Thanks for letting me vent some anger,
 
Christina
 
[Moderator's note: ZIP is 90620 :-)  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 1532]