Q: "[Personal names] doesn't take care of their ferrets.  [These people's]
shelter is always dirty and cluttered, there is always a lot of ferret
dirt around which I think spreads disease and the ferrets could hurt
themselves... I think this is abusing their ferrets...."
 
A: Just don't go into MY garage...I house pet tornados....
 
I have been in a lot of shelters and homes that were marginal at best, and
some probably wouldn't stand up to a health inspection.  Typically, these
shelters are run by people who accept too many ferrets, have a difficult
time adopting them out, have too little money and even fewer helpers.  In
these cases, you can just about predict the ferret space has taken over
living space from the humans.  They are not bad people (they may in fact be
some of the best people you will ever know), just a bit overwhelmed.  I
have seen worse conditions in private homes where I have wondered if the
dark patch on the floor was actually moving towards me (I have actually
seen carpet rotted away from urine and feces!).  This isn't always related
to the number of ferrets; I have seen some places with lots of free ranging
ferrets where accidents are IMMEDIATELY cleaned, and I have seen places
with just a few caged ferrets that look horrible.
 
As far as *I* am concerned, dirt happens.  I would no sooner complain about
the cleanliness of a person's home (provided it doesn't actually endanger
children or animals) than I would break a personal confidence (which is why
whenever I talk about specifics, I never mention names, even off the FML.
The only exception I make is when someone directly asks about a situation I
know we are both aware).  I simply don't think it is any of my business and
I certainly haven't made anybody else's business either.
 
I do not define the following as ferret abuse (provided there is no danger
of direct harm): 1) clutter, 2) a day or two of poopie, 3) long toenails,
4) human 'trash" (like sacks, boxes, tubes, etc.) used as ferret playground
equipment, 5) carpets that have been cleaned but still show stains,
6) general untidiness.
 
I do feel the following ARE abusive, especially if chronic: 1) small cages,
2) lack of cage-free time, 3) lack of positive and physical human
interaction, 4) physical or verbal terrorism, 5) long term overcrowding,
6) lack of water, 7) starvation, either by a lack of food or by poor
quality food, 8) lack of psychological or physical security, 9) lack of
intellectual stimulation, 10) punishment of instinctual behavior (digging,
corner pooping, play fighting, etc., 11) lack of necessary veterinary care,
12) Improper breeding practices, 13) Unnecessary euthanasia.  There are
probably more.
 
Might I suggest something?  Why not talk to the person directly?  Say
something like, "It must be hard to keep up with all this work.  Can I help
you out a little bit?" Try to create a solution rather than force
compliance to your specifications.  Try to understand some things are not
the person's fault.  IF the problem is seriously unhealthy, THEN I suggest
you contact the police directly and allow them to contact the appropriate
agencies.  They will contact the people and document the problem, which is
what is necessary in severe cases.  Do not be upset if the person is
allowed to fix the problem and keep their pets; that is, after all, what
you want anyway, so resist the temptation to punish them.  These types of
problems typically result in over-reactions, lots of hurt feelings, and
endless FML debate that goes absolutely nowhere.  It sometimes seems the
FLM is filled with a bunch of over-reacters.  If you ASK a person why they
are doing/not doing something and they tell you, you are not given carte
blanche to over-react and call in your goons to parrot your message.  YOU
solicited the opinion.  Get over it and grow your ass up.  Stick to the
issues, forget the personalities, and ignore your personal preferences.  If
you have done all that, and you still decide something is a problem, try it
again.  USE third party or outside intervention ONLY as a last resort, and
ONLY to prevent actual--not theoretical--harm.
 
On a personal note, I not only asked the person who asked this question if
I could use it as a Q-N-A post, but also allowed them to read and comment
on this response PRIOR to posting it.  I know both sides involved, and
while the charges of a dirty shelter are, at least partially true (I
personally found it marginal, but not necessarily unsanitary), the
questioner agreed a personality conflict existed which is fueling the
complaint.  Because I agreed to post on the subject in this general fashion
(which might have a positive impact on the shelter in question), they are
dropping their complaint and have promised not to bring it up on the FML,
nor cross-post it to others.  I have met the shelter operators in this
instance, and even though I can't say we are best of friends ( I hardly
know them), I know they care deeply about ferrets.  They can do better, but
I hardly think it is worth a flame war on the FML (or anywhere else for
that matter) to get them to clean up a bit of clutter.  I highly commend
the questioner for allowing this sort of intervention to take place.
 
Bob C and 16 MO' Dirty Little Ferts
[Posted in FML issue 2979]