Dear Ferret Folks-
 
Lin brought up an interesting point yesterday.  What "carrots" are we
using in our fight to get dangerous ferret treats and kibbled diets
removed from the shelves, and what "sticks"?  The International Ferret
Congress has been waging a reasonably polite war with the manufacturers
and retailers of ferret foods for quite some time.  The fact that it's
been so polite is probably why more people are not aware of it, but we
have won some battles, lost some, too.  We have established working
relationships with various individuals who work in these companies, and
we have exchanged carrots, politely, and occasionally brandished sticks
at one another via e-mail.
 
Jacquie Rodgers and her cadre of hard-working letter-writing ladies are
not too shabby with a stick.  It's not that they are writing *rude*
letters, it is that they are writing so *many* letters, the manufacturers
and retailers can't just throw them in a file anymore and hope this will
all go away.  Jacquie is holding open the possibility of starting a class
action lawsuit on behalf of those whose ferrets were injured or killed
after ingesting dried fruit chips, dehydrated vegetables, nut chunks, or
inferior grades of meat jerkies labeled as ingredients in ferret treats
or staple diets.  The International Ferret Congress will not be involved
in that lawsuit.  We have no financial interest in it.  We are working
with Jacquie's group because we have a common goal, that no ferret should
EVER suffer a needless, perhaps fatal intestinal blockage from such a
PREVENTABLE cause as ingesting the very food that claims to nourish it!
The food that *we* chose for them.
 
The real "stick" is not the lawsuit, it is an educated consumer.  It
is YOU, taking the time to write the retailers and manufacturers, and
telling them that things have got to change.  If not now, *when* are we
going to press to have this addressed, once and for all?  If not you,
*who* will take up the responsibility for a single carrot, a single
stick, and bring it into this battle?  We've done as much as we can
alone.  And we've done a lot, as Linda's update on the recent changes
that Kaytee, The Ferret Store, and The Ferret Depot have made were
demonstrated in yesterday's FML..  But we really, really need you.
 
Alexandra in MA
IFC Communications Coordinator
Need a Form Letter?  Want a list of dangerous and safe treats and diets?
"Put "ferret" in the subject line. (Jacquie)
[log in to unmask]
 
Want another Form Letter?  Suggestions?  (Be kind, I cry easy)  Me
[log in to unmask]
 
Here are some manufacturers and retailers you can contact directly.
Right now they seem to be manufacturing most of the worst treats.
 
8 in 1: EMAIL: [log in to unmask]
 
ONLINE FORM TO CONTACT KAYTEE:
http://www.kaytee.com/ask_the_experts/contact_us/
 
ONLINE FORM TO CONTACT WALMART:
http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWMStoresWeb/navigate.do?catg=221
 
FM BROWN EMAIL: [log in to unmask]
 
PET CARE CENTRAL.COM EMAIL: [log in to unmask]
 
ONLINE FORM TO CONTACT PETCO:
http://www.petco.com/Content/ContactUs.aspx?PC=contactus&Nav=
 
PETSMART EMAIL: [log in to unmask]
 
FERRETMART.COM EMAIL: [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 5130]