I haven't been able to keep up much lately, and I must admit that some of what I've picked up on both of these subjects was from them being quoted in other posts, but I'd like to post a few points about breeding and sheltering, and shows, since some negative comments have been made about both. As far as being a breeder and a shelter. Both propositions are really not that different. It's all about a love of the animal, at least from the breeder/shelterers I've met. Our local shelterer became a shelterer because she believes that if she is going to breed ferrets, she has an obligation to take in rescues, as well. Hobby breeding is not a money making situation, as some seem to think. The only way to make money as a breeder is to have the methods of the big commercial farms, where you don't put the money into health care and produce mass amounts of animals with a large market to sell in. Most hobby breeders do it because they love ferrets, and want to help create healthy, happy pets, and see them go to good homes and make their owners lives more complete. A shelterer takes in ferrets because they know that otherwise these animals will probably be turned lose to die, or be euthinized by a shelter not equipped for ferrets. Again, the hope is to find the ferret a good home. And as Susan from Ferrets Unlimited Rescue of Tulsa pointed out so nicely, we also always recommend shelter ferrets to new owners, homes with small children and people who want a ferret but can't afford the prices of kits. I've never seen a rescue ferret turned away in Columbus, and our shelter mom doesn't have much problem placing them. She has also had people who came for a kit go home with a rescue. I think having both to choose from gets more people to her home to think about adopting rescues. As far as shows being cruel. A good shower knows when a ferret isn't up to the stress of being shown. There is some stress involved in it, but there are also many good things that come from it. It gives the show ferrets a chance to learn to be handled by different people, which also is necessary for doing educational ferret events. It helps novice ferret owners learn about grooming that they hadn't previously known about such as nail clipping, ear cleaning and teeth scaling. Since most ferret show standards are things which are good for the ferrets health, such as strong healthy bone structure, and good muscle mass, it helps breeders understand what things are good to breed for. And since ferret shows invariable draw some new ferret owners, or ferret owners who've previously had no contact with shelters and clubs, it educates them on resources they've never known exsisted. It also helps people who have purchased their first ferrets from pet stores realize that it is better for the ferrets to come from home breeding programs, where kits aren't neutered at the age of 4/5 weeks, and not shipped out at ages where they should still be with their mothers. In my opinion, ferrets would be alot worse off without the show industry. Sherry [Posted in FML issue 3214]