Lizzi wrote:
>I decided to go to his home and tell the white lies that sometimes God
>pretends not to hear... I told her that ferrets make TERRIBLE pets.  I
>told her that one would poop all over her home, and bite all her family
>members.  I told her that they get terrible diseases that they can
>transmit to people, and that they stunk to high heaven.  I told her they
>can appear sweet, only to turn vicious later.
 
Lizzi, I understand that you were trying to prevent a potential tragedy
from occurring, but I cannot agree with your methods.
 
You should have told the truth, that ferrets can be wonderful pets for the
right owners.  But not in the hands of those who do not understand their
special needs and ways.  Instead you propagated the very lies that we are
trying so hard to combat in NYC, California and among the general
population.
 
Most people's perceptions of ferrets come from second, third and fouth hand
information.  How many people might this mother have talked to, saying how
she heard from someone who owns ferrets what smelly vicious animals they
were?  How many other people might have passed that on to others?  Suppose
that woman visited a friend who's child had just gotten a cute kit.  "Oh
you better get rid of that thing!  It may be cute now but it will turn mean
when it gets older.  A ferret owner told me so." So the friend turns it
loose outside.
 
Lies propogate and can cause unexpected harm. Only the truth educates.
 
Linda Iroff
Oberlin OH
[Posted in FML issue 2933]