On Sun, 17 Oct 1999, Capt. Nodrog wrote:
>I do not want to imply ferret ownership be made illegal, but I do feel
>fully that ferrets are getting less than acceptable treatement due to
>public ignorance of the animal.
 
So are dogs and cats.  And hampsters and prairie dogs.
 
>Yes, they do look soooo cute in the pen  at the pet store, but they are
>not like that cat in the next pen at all,
 
No.  I honestly feel they are EASIER to care for than that cat in the
next pen.  They are normally fed a diet of kibble.  They are litterbox
trainable.  Not as successfuly as some cats.  Better than others.
 
On this list it is definitely "politically correct" to say ferrets are hard
to care for and more special than other pets but that does not make it
true.
 
>You do not mention your evidence of comparing cats to ferrets in abuse.
 
Nor do you .
 
>Cats are more able to care for themselves if ignored and underfed than a
>ferret locked in a cage.
 
Not really.  Lock a cat in a cage and a ferret in the cage next door and
actually the ferret will fare better.
 
Put neither in a cage and not care for them and thye will both do badly.
The ferret might die but the cat will possibly do something worse - go
feral.
 
>All I would like to see, is any potential owner of a ferret be fully made
>aware of what the animal is what it's needs are, what to expect of it's
>behaviour, and what an owne must do to have a safe healthy happy ferret
>for a pet.  THis is for the benefit of the animal only.
 
We agree completely.  Fully and to all possible details EXCEPT for one
minor quibble.  Licensing has nothing to do with care for the animals.  In
most parts of Virginia if not all you must obtain a license for a dog.
That means you wank in a give the state some money.  There is nothing about
that license that ensures you won't immediately take that license home and
nail it to your dog, tie the dog on a three foot lead toa tree in the hot
sun with no water.  There are laws against that but they are not licensing
laws.
 
>Do you disagree with affording a little protection for a totaly
>defensless and human dependent animal?
 
That is a dirty tactic for debate.  You are implying something in that
question that is not what is being debated.
 
So of course not.  But you didn't propose a little protection you proposed
treating ferrets differently from all other animals that also deserve that
same little portection.  You are proposing that ferrets are different, we
propose that ferrets should be treated exactly the same as cats.  IF that
means boith species should require training and licensing for owners then
fine.  If that means that if we can not get the laws passed about cats we
should not potentially start a major backslide for ferrets.
 
There are licensing and registration laws on the books for ferrets in some
states.  Yet in no case can it be shown that those laws actually protect
the ferrets in the slightest amount.  However it can easily be shown that
the CA F&G is trying to use those very meaningless laws to show that
ferrets must not be the same as little Mitsy the house tabby in that they
need some sort of special license to protect people.
 
I'm sorry if you do not agree.  You are certainly welcome to a different
opinion but do not somehow imply that because we disagree that we are not
trying to afford ferrets all possible protection.
 
b&d
--
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
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[Posted in FML issue 2838]