Estimates of Marshall Farms' breeders have hovered around 30,000.  I see no
reason why questions or concerns about MF practices should not be raised.
The marvelous concept that MF needs to treat ferrets well for good business
would seem to only apply if they were selling treatment of ferrets, tours,
champion stock, or public stock shares to animal lovers and NOT kits by the
boxload.  Historically, many animal breeding farms of varying proportions
worldwide have been guilty of less than humane treatment.
 
Among these questions:
1) Do they put to death their jills when they reach 3 or 4 years of age?
This question deserves attention because if they do, they may statistically
represent the greatest single source of lost years in ferret lifespan.  The
lost years in lifespan is not some oddball number, for instance for us
humans, the third ranking cause for lost years in lifespan is suicide,
behind heart disease and cancer.
2) How do they "euthanize" their breeder "stock"?  There are cheap and
not-so-cheap ways of doing this.  "Good" business would lean towards the
cheapest way possible, regardless ferret welfare.
3) Is the practice of neutering/spaying and descenting, especially at 5 or 6
weeks and possibly earlier [I've seen MF ferrets delivered quite young
around here] conducted under the best possible conditions or the cheapest
way possible?  Further, how does this effect the overall health of a ferret?
4) What happens to "returned" ferrets?  There are times stores return
ferrets for varying reasons such as customer claims of bad behavior and
slight cosmetic variations, such as minor dental abberations.
5) What are the overall conditions in which the ferrets are housed and
maintained?  For some, there is a wide margin between bad conditions and the
legal parameters of "animal cruelty".
 
Unless MF is the Holy Grail of ferretdom, there is no crime in asking these
questions.  MF could answer all of these simply by opening their doors.
Many large corporations and factories do this for public relations and
educational purposes by scheduling limited tours.  While I am not suggesting
MF arrange tours, they could at least allow scheduled visitors from time to
time.  They are at least the largest ferret breeder in the US, dwarfing all
others.  Just in case you are wondering, I have sent a letter to MF with
these questions though no reply has been received.
 
Until next time,
best wishes,
alphachi
[Posted in FML issue 1897]