Is it a Marshalls?
 
There have been several posts on MF ferrets with "missing" tattoos recently.
Let me share what is PROBABLY happening....
 
Most ferret farms sell pet ferrets already neutered and descented.  Most pet
shops order ferrets from a distributor.  Most distributors use MF but will
order from other farms to make up any shortfalls.  Copying material is
cheap.  Keeping track of which ferrets belong to which paperwork is not.
all ferrets are dumped in a central holding bin, the pet shop(s) come to
pick up their stock or it is delivered, and paperwork is signed and passed
on for the proper number of animals, but not necessarily matched.
 
So... the pet shop gets MF paperwork and passes it on to the customer, but
the customer gets a Path Valley or other source ferret.  Really no biggie -
after all, a ferret is a ferret.  But what if one little ferret came in from
an obscure breeder who had ECE?  or distemper?  This contaminates ALL the
ferrets which travel through the distributor, not to mention those still
left from the last batch at the pet shop and the old and less young ferrets
in the customer's homes.
 
The ferret one buys at a pet shop is more than likely neutered and
descented.  If it is not, the pet shop will usually make good on the vet
bill or replace the ferret.  What the pet shop will not help with is if the
ferret you buy from them transfers a disease to the ferrets at your home.
So PLEASE be careful about bring home a kit if you have old or frail ferrets
at home!!!
 
Pam Grant
[Posted in FML issue 1753]