>But my question is if dogs and cats are still sold in pet stores, how
>successful are we going to be getting them to stop selling ferrets?  I
>don't agree with the pet store selling of dogs, cats, or ferrets.  But as
>long as people can get them without a hassle as long as they have the
>money, it will continue to happen.  Can anyone tell me what has or is
>being done about the situation?
 
The Humane Society, the ASPCA and dog and cat registries work to put
pressure on Pet stores not to sell dogs and cats in pet stores.  They also
work to educate the public not to buy cats and dogs at pet stores or to
support the pet stores that sell them.  Used to be almost every pet store
sold cats and dogs.  Since these groups have have uniformly been educating
and lobbying the pet store industry, sales of dogs and cats in them have
declined somewhat.  Almost all the pet stores around here sell ferrets but
NONE sell dogs.  I know of one that sells kittens occassionally.  the ASPCA
magazine recently had a short on PetsMart who has started a Charity program
where they pooled 2.5 million in contributions for use by local animal
welfare agencies.  PetsMart also promotes having shelters do in store pet
adoptions etc.  So I think the agencies are having some effect.  Since the
ferret community is not a single voice maybe those of us who believe that
pet stores are not an appropriate place for retailing ferrets should be
writing to organizations such as the ASPCA.
 
Mary, Boris, Giesela and Booker
[Posted in FML issue 2520]