You would think that the condition of the human race would speak for itself
on the subject of discipline vs. abuse.  There is a big difference between
the two.  I work in a field where I have been unfortunate enough to see
first hand REAL animal abuse.  A smack on the snout or a pinch on the
whiskers does not constitute abuse.  Just because one person does not agree
with the method of another it is no reason to accuse them of abuse.  Not
all ferrets have the same personality and what works for one may not work
for another.  You cannot win, if you discipline you are being abusive.
If you do not and the ferret bites someone, you are being threatened with
lawsuits and putting the ferret's life in danger.  I am sure Kathy felt
she was doing a good deed.  No one is questioning her right to express her
opinion or concern, but she should have done so FIRST to the person in
question.  If she was not satisfied THEN she should have gone to a show
official and reported it.  If Kathy had spent five minutes talking to the
person she would have come away with a much different opinion.  IF someone
looked at her like she was crazy it was only because of who she was
reporting.  Not because they are friends of anyone but because of the
gentle personality of this person.  True abusers are generally cowards
and only do it behind closed doors or in parking lots not out in an open
forum.  People are so sure that there are such a favored few in the AFA
that stands ready to attack if one of them is questioned.  That could not
be farther from the truth.  There were a handful of people in the room
that could be considered AFA "officials".  There was quite a crowd of
spectators, other animal "professionals" and the general public.  Most who
would not know an AFA "official" from the next person.  Do you really think
if someone was abusing a ferret everyone else in the room would ignore it?
Most of the people who voice these opinions on the Internet do not
personally know, nor have they even met any of the people they are so quick
to condemn.  Rarely are any of them eye witnesses, and freely admit to
having never raised a litter of kits or even been to a ferret show.  Why is
it when someone or some organization does something that people perceive as
good, it gets passing mention?  Yet when something is perceived as bad it
gets hashed around forever?.The AFA is constantly being crucified no matter
what.  Damned if you do and damned if you don't.
 
If anyone thinks Vickie sounded terse who can blame her?  I can't because I
have been there.  It is very frustrating.  What Vickie left out about the
volunteer JOB is that not only are you not paid for it, but it can often be
a thankless job.  No matter what you do, someone takes offense.  You open
yourself up to havoc in your personal life, you get threatening email.  You
gain a whole fan club of people who are so sure you are the evil incarnate
and they don't even know you.  You just cannot please people no matter what
you do.  Dozens of letters are sent into the AFA saying that part of the
motto is to protect what are you going to do about it?  Yet when enough
evidence is gathered and something IS done about it, you are accused of
being political and trying to rid yourself of competition.  People will sit
on the bench and watch you fight the battle and only get on the bandwagon
on the side of the winner when the smoke clears.  Then everyone has an
opinion.  How do you win?  Some people are very vocal on these public
forums, they could all do it better, yet none of them ever volunteer to
help.  They continue to let us fight the battles, while they continue to
criticize us.
 
Pat Stauffer
Weasels
http://pages.prodigy.net/staufferp/
[Posted in FML issue 3009]