In regards to Eleanor's post and the ferret pelt selling on Ebay . . . .
 
Eleanor, (and anyone else who finds themselves caught in this dilemma)
doesn't have to apologize for speaking her mind and expressing what she
believes from her heart, esp.  since she did so in such a dignified,
polite manner!  I APPLAUD YOU Eleanor and very much concur with all of
the other posts pertaining to this matter.  I personally believe it is
more erroneous to keep silent and NOT share this information (the Ebay
sale) than to speak up and inform others, which is totally within the
right to freedom of speech.
 
I see it this way: Ethically speaking, ANY animal that is commonly and
routinely sold in a "PET" store to be used as companionship in a general
domestic environment should be protected from being sold, dead or alive,
through any company or organization that does not allow the same type of
sale for OTHER domesticated animals.  There are no exceptions to this
that come to mind and I don't want to start splitting hairs (although
I'm sure it could be done), but if no one is selling bird carcasses or
gerbil, rabbit, hamster, cat, or dog furs on Ebay why then would anyone
think that selling a ferret pelt is acceptable?
 
In regards to the freedom of speech aspect, we all excercise this freedom
every day in some form or fashion even though there are many, many things
I personally deem inappropriate and would rather NOT hear or read.  But
being notified of this kind of sale and reading what Eleanor wrote were
certainly not things I was offended by whatsoever.  It was totally within
her right to express her thoughts to the seller and totally within the
sellers' rights to take whatever action (or not) as a result.
 
I,too, emailed the ferret pelt seller and Ebay customer service with my
personal opinions of this sale, although I must confess I was not nearly
as kind with my wording as was Eleanor.  Guess that's the result of
writing in the "heat of the moment" when my blood was simmering near
boiling point.
 
Maybe (and I'm hoping) the amount of comments Ebay received will
cause them to rethink or adjust their parameters about what kinds of
animal-related sales are acceptable and appropriate, esp.  when it
pertains to an animal most widely known as a domesticated 'pet'.
Honestly, even if I wasn't a ferret owner, I think I'd still be
pretty shocked about this for that very reason.
 
Jennifer and the dynamic duo, Sasha & Snowball
[Posted in FML issue 4640]