>From:    Tanya Grave <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Thank you and...
>Percentage wise the number of animals that are considered "show quality"
>is very small to the number of animals bred (I'm including all breeders,
>large scale, commercial breeders, hobby breeders, backyard breeders and
>"mistakes" - people who do not spay or neuter their animals).
 
Perhaps you do not know much about the ferret fancy.  It is not the same as
the fancy for dogs and cats.  Shelter adoptees and pet store ferrets are
very often the big winners.  Speaking as acknowledged "experts" based upon
out demand as judges, we disagree with your assertion.
 
In the ferret world as opposed to the cat and dog worlds, "mistakes" are
very very rare.  Especially given that virtually all petstore ferrets are
already neutered and a jill's life is at risk if she is not spayed.
 
>(Read Leonard Bottlemans post of 21 October, then tell me there isn't a
>conflict between shelters and breeding.)
 
Being very familiar with both sides in the incident Leonard mentioned,
no.  There is not a conflict between shelters and breeding.  There was a
disagreement on how one particular shelter handled or did not handle the
separation of functions.  Both sides came to us because of our roles in
the ferret world as both a breeder and a shelter.
 
>From:    Anonymous Poster <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: TPP/KCF/Breeding
 
We have spoken to someone who knows the Coles very well.  We are more
optimistic than before.  The information put out here that the discussion
has been based on might not be very accurate, especially regarding numbers.
They talk the good talk.  Let us all hope that they will also walk the good
walk.
 
>>Please write to us off list.  We would very much like to talk to you
>>about this.
>
>I think that this is something that would benefit all clubs that put on
>shows, thus a good topic for the list to talk about - if interested.
 
How about you write to us off list and let us explain our reasons?  After
that, yes we can discuss things here as well.
 
>Hmm ... so was that a food she made herself?  Or one produced by a
>manufacture?  And muscle tone can be from sitting in a cage with no
>"time out".
 
It was a "soup" type concoction with ingredients primarily suitable for
raising mink for pelts rather than ferrets for health.  Mink food was if
we remember one of the ingredients.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 3215]