Hello all, I wrote an article that included information about the Kit & Caboodle sale for the Pacific Ferret Shelter Network Newsletter months ago. The great breeding debate aside, what was that saying about getting to know someone before you make judgements about them? I met the Coles at the Inland Northwest Ferret Show in Spokane this past July. They seemed like very responsible, knowledgable folks. Cristine Mathis of M&P Ferretry (and the Oregon Ferret Shelter), someone who's been around fuzzies for well over a decade, spent quite some time talking to them, and came away feeling like they were quite capable. I'm pretty sure the Coles have been around ferrets longer than a year, maybe more like 3-5, and I'm equally sure they know about things like ECE and ADV. And, in the least, they seemed to have the energy, enthusiasm, and organization to handle a large breedership. Some of the postings I've just read about Kit and Caboodle appear to be more the product of gut emotion than careful thought. If the Coles haven't been too responsive over e-mail, then one must consider how busy they must be in caring for so many ferrets. Maybe give 'em a quick call, or drop by for a visit. If you're that worried about it, it seems that's going to be the only way to allay your concern. Spreading rumor certainly won't solve much. Lastly, donation (say to the ADV fund) requires either time or cash, or both. If you're barely hanging in the positive financially, it'd be stupid to donate and drop down the debt precipice. Maybe the Coles don't have much of either right now for reasons cited above (after all, they _bought_ out Two Pole), and so I don't see how this enters into much of anything. -best, Wolf Read Jaxom, Kasumi, Nabiki, Piemur, & Ripley [Posted in FML issue 3207]