Well, there's been some talk of opening MF's doors.  So the next obvious
question is what then:
 
1) Insist MF, as a responsible breeder, develop and maintain a viable
trademark ID system, and then make reasonable efforts to protect it.  WHY?
Most corporations already do this.  If Christian Dior can do it for
handbags, Marshall can do it for living animals.  It may not solve this
problem, no matter how small, but it will help.
 
2) Insist MF, as a responsible breeder, increase the time before spaying or
neutering occurs.  WHY?  Until they prove otherwise, the general consensus
by health care professionals is the present schedule is much too early.
 
3) Insist that MF, as a responsible breeder, maintain their breeding stock
in a humane condition and are not destroying their animals in their prime.
WHY?  Killing thousands of ferrets each year at this age is completely
unacceptable.  Not when we have shelter operators throughout the country
sacrificing to save a few.
 
4) Insist that MF, as a responsible breeder, create a fund to help house the
thousands of abandoned MF ferrets.  WHY?  Until MF decides to be more
selective as to WHOM they sell to and until they make a reasonable effort to
insure that all information as to the care, feeding, projected veterinary
costs, etc.  is distributed at the point of sale, they are PART of the
problem.  Many corporations take these steps to protect the consumer, AND
their own reputation, so should MF.
 
5) Insist that MF, as a responsible breeder, create a fund for the research
of various ferret health related issues.  Why?  They take credit for
creating the market, dominating the market, now let them BEAR some of the
impact that market has created.
 
I can understand this might be hard for MF to swallow, especially after the
long free ride.  Hey, parties over.
 
Well, maybe you think this is too harsh, or maybe some think not harsh
enough.  What do you think?
 
We, as owners, and various ferret organizations, can work along with MF in a
positive and productive manner AFTER they begin to implement these repairs
and commit to their completion.  The friendly chit-chat others boast of that
cannot get a direct answer and token offerings just aren't going to cut it.
 
How many ferrets will die unnecessarily today?
For Kodo and all the ferrets with no names,
best wishes,
alphachi
[Posted in FML issue 1988]