Domestic ferrets are currently the 3rd most popular domestic pet in the
US only behind the dog and cat.  There is so much legislation to protect
dogs and cats but none to protect ferrets.  Ferrets are intellegent,
sweet, loving, wonderful pets!  We must protect these wonderful sensitive
animals.  Ferrets are routinely shipped at 5 weeks old!  This is too
young, these ferrets are infants at 5 weeks old.  The breeding farms take
these poor infants from their mothers at 3 weeks old, when most do not
even have their eyes open, neuter or spay them and descent them.  Then
they are stuffed into small crates and shipped all over the country with
little to no provisions.  They sit on tarmacs in airports, are shuffled
and tossed around in cargo holds, subjected to all types of weather, all
the while they are still looking for their mommy to nurse!  These babies
are not even weaned yet!  Many of these kits arrive at pet stores with
prolapsed rectums, unhealed surgical incisions, sicknesses and behavioral
problems.  Then they are purchased by inexperienced customers and end up
physically abused, abandoned or given to a shelter.  The shelters are
overflowing with these "throw away ferrets"!  The general public and most
pet stores have no idea how to care for a sick ferret so the ferret
suffers and dies a needless agonizing death.  If the breeding farms were
forced to comply with an 8 week old rule for shipping ferrets there would
be so many senseless deaths of ferrets averted.  There must also be
humane shipping standards institued and care standards for breeding
farms.  If we can have standards for dogs and cats then we MUST protect
the ferrets.  These breeding farms must be held accountable.  The ferrets
deserve the same protection under the law and we must help them since
they can not speak for themselves.
 
Roary I am #30!
[Posted in FML issue 4973]