I don't often post but I need help in how to proceed with a particular
person whom I have dealt with for quite some time.  I have been reading
about horror stories of Diane Bachman and the Rocky Rescues and I fear
that someone i know is entering a bad stage and the ferrets aren't
getting all they need.
 
Well about a year ago, this person (not naming names), who was a shelter
and breeder, starting moving a lot of their ferrets and quickly.  For
example, this person had several babies (i think in the upper 20s) and
older shelter kids that all disappeared in less than a week's time, in
fact, it was more like 3-5 days.  The older shelter kids may have been
put down and there may have been a good reason, I am not sure.  But as
for the babies, I fear they were sold to a wholesaler or petstores or
destroyed.
 
Well then this person went through a HUGE downsizing, some ferrets
surrendered, some ferrets sold and some just plain disappeared.  Now I
thought this person was trying to get out of ferrets but then recently,
they started breeding up a storm.  Like for example, in a month's time,
10 litters will be due.  I do not know how to start to deal with this and
I don't want to accuse.  Perhaps it is all on the up and up and they have
that many contacts, but in the past, it took a long time to place any
ferrets and now it's almost like the shelter has been stopped and they
are becoming a ferret farm.  I do not want to name names or say the
state, because this shelter/breeder is well known and one of the few
in the state.  I don't want to point fingers or destroy this person's
reputation unduly.  I don't trust them and see the condition of the cages
and how low and small the cages are for the ferrets upsets me.  Since the
downsizing, the ferrets are getting back to normal weight and cages look
cleaner.  But I don't know their fate if all these babies are breed for
and born and they are back up to the number they were once at.
 
Also they refuse to feed good food, they use whatever they can get their
hands on and I think that is affecting the ferrets.  Someone else called
animal control on them and animal control didn't find anything wrong
(which I don't think they took a good hard long look because the ferrets
were thin and looked worn out).  So I am not sure what it is that animal
control looks for.  They have food in their cages, however the food looks
old and unsanitary.  The food looks wet on the bottom and all they do is
add more food.  The water bottles are dirty and the cages are not cleaned
with sanitizer.  I am at my wits end.  These people used to be my friends
but after how they have treated me and my ferrets previously at their
home, how to do I proceed?
 
I talked to someone else who is dealing with a similiar situation with
someone else.  I don't want to give breeders a bad name as I have a few
breeders myself and I breeder on occasion but for myself and a few
friends.  I don't agree with overbreeding.  And having 10 litters due at
this person's home, just makes me cry.  I have been crying myself to
sleep, my family is trying to support me but I have nightmares of what
will happen when all the babies are born to the other ferrets.  This
person has a lot of people on their side (perhaps they are fooled into
thinking everything is alright or they dont' want to see the problem) but
I approached some people who I thought could help and only got burned
from it.  I just feel jaded by friends I thought would help and they are
protecting this breeder.  I don't think I am over exagerating or blowing
things out of proportion.  Please tell me what I can do.
[Posted in FML issue 5183]