>From:    "Mrs. Duck" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Response to Killians' ECE posts
 
We are terribly sorry you mistake our concern for ferrets with flames.  We
had and have no intentions of flaming or rather insulting you.  We really
are not upset with your group or any other group you are associated with.
We are not concerned with group politics.  Please don't take the discussion
as negative comments aimed at you.  We are sorry if we offended you.
 
>I don't understand how you can say you were "involved".  You were not there,
>you did not help plan the show.  The only way you were involved was in
>flaming me for going and taking ferrets.
 
Ferrets which came from our home were at the show.  Ferrets from our home
reside at the homes of attendees.  Therefore, we are directly involved since
the welfare of ferrets of ours was a consideration.  We were in contact
throughout the day with people in attendance.  We did not flame you for
attending and bringing ferrets; in fact we didn't state you had ECE nor that
you were taking ECE-infected ferrets with you.  We worry about our ferrets
even after they become the ferrets of others.  Did you see the wonderful
angora ferret that we sent to Sheena Staples that day?  We heard quite a few
people at the show really liked that ferret.
 
>It is now a week since the show, and not one ferret owner has reported any
>illness in any ferret that was at the show.
 
You are correct that there is not one reported case that you know of.
Through due diligence after the issue was raised, the spread of the ECE or
ECE-like diseases were possibly and hopefully averted.
 
>Next time you choose to second guess my vet and spread rampant rumours that
>I have had ECE in my household, please think twice about the unsubstantiated
>rumours you are spreading.
 
We only made the comment that from what you described, it sounded like ECE.
It is not conclusively known what is and what is not ECE sometimes.  The
majority of the posts on this issue were urging caution both by the
attendees and the show personnel.  The show sponsors took steps to prevent
the spread of disease.  The attendees did what they considered necessary to
prevent it as well.  This is a positive sign.
 
>ECE is a possibility in any ferret owners lives, whether they attend shows
>or not.  In addition, the masks being worn were surgical masks (I saw the
>wrappers), not paint masks, and the baby wipes were soaked in ODOBAN, a
>product which kills bacteria, viruses, fungi, and a host of other things.
 
Again, it is a positive sign that steps were taken.  We are not familiar
with ODOBAN but assume that the chemical reactions of it with the liquids
already in baby wipes were carefully examined.  We couldn't begin to guess
whether the two compounds have no chemical reactions.
 
>And for arguments sake, what does the number of entries have to do with the
>quality of judging?
 
Could you please point out where we said it did?
 
>There is no dispute that it happened.  It did happen.  But it happens
>occaisionally at shows sanctioned by all organizations, including AFA.
 
Please cite an example of an AFA sanctioned show where this happened.  An
overruling of a judge has happened at a NAFA show but at no AFA sanctioned
show on record.
 
However a math error is not the same as mistakes in color identification.
As it was late in the evening and light was getting bad it is understandable
that the judges had probles.  It is not the judges who were questionable but
their ability to see the colors at that particular time.  Questionable
judging is not questionable judges.
 
There have been math errors at shows but that is not as hard on exhibitors.
 
It would be silly and political to get into any more about what judges are
and are not qualified.  We won't.  We are again sorry if you misunderstood
what we meant earlier.
 
>You have without provocation, gone out of your way to attempt to discredit
>me and the organizations I am affiliated with.
 
We have most certainly not "gone out of your way" to attempt to discredit
you.  We only were expressing our opinion concerning the illness your
ferrets had recovered from.  I'm sorry if you don't feel that people should
be free to express their opinions about subjects which you raise.  We are
members of some of the same organizations you are.  We don't mean to insult
or discredit our own groups either.
 
>From:    "Heyn, Ela - O&M NY" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Please update your address books ...
 
Well we just want to take the time to say we were glad to meet you and
Judith on Saturday.  With the odd network delays we learned about the
address change from you at the show.  Thanks again...
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1861]