I'm writing this note concerning Marshall Farm ferrets and all the
discussion that has been going on about them. It's just my 2 cents, but
here goes.
Like the rest of you reading this post, I love ferrets! I have 4 of the
most wonderful babies in the world and I do my very best to take good care
of them and enrich their lives as much as they have enriched mine during the
last 3 years. I have also committed to financially sponsoring 3 shelter
ferrets; 1 in Oregon and 2 in Texas. I donate as much as I can to my local
shelter, and I wish that it could be more. I'm not saying any of this to
claim that I'm any kind of a special person, but rather that I know how
special ferrets are.
I need to mention that all of my ferrets were purchased from a pet store
that only sold Marshall Farms animals. I certainly can't say that I would
ever go out to specifically buy another Marshall Farms ferret, but I also
can't say that if I found the right little one I'd not buy it just because
it was from MF. When I add to my family (and you can be sure I will at some
point) I'd much rather buy a kit from a breeder or an older baby from Trish
Curtis' shelter in Texas (I happen to be a big fan of hers).
While I recognize all the problems MF ferrets may have, the fact that they
were operated on way too young, and all the other "stuff" that has been said
about MF, I do want to point out that if it hadn't been for the pet shop
carrying MF ferrets I never would have had the opportunity to see a ferret;
to buy a ferret; to come to love these animals and know how special they
are; and to come to know how truly wonderful most "ferret people" are. For
this fact alone, I can only express my very deep gratitude to Marshall
Farms. After all, who's to say that if MF didn't do business exactly as
they have, that the pet shop would have ever agreed to sell these animals.
I recognize that this sounds very selfish on my part, but this I guess I can
confess to being selfish, because I truly can't imagine my life without my
babies.
I wonder if any of you readers who are bashing MF might fall into the same
category that I find myself. Don't misunderstand, now that I am more
informed, I don't agree with early surgeries, shipping these delicate
animals all over the country, etc., etc.; and I'm very grateful for all the
wonderful caring breeders who realize the proper way to raise and sell kits,
and the utterly selfless shelter owners who spend their time and their money
to rescue and raise these fine animals, I'm still very grateful that
Marshall Farms was able to introduce me to these special, special animals.
Well, that's my 2 cents for the day.
Kay Winters
Fairy, Niles, Chandler Bing and Niles
(and with the grace of God, someday Snowball[a shelter boy whom I've
already fallen in love with] or a ferret exactly like him!
Best wishes and happiness in 1997 to all our new friends out there.
P.S. - being a "good Southerner" I did manage to get a litte bit of a
blackeyed pea into each and every one of my animals on January 1st for
their yearly good luck (its a regional thing).
[Posted in FML issue 1804]
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