Lisa wrote: >Firstly I would just like to say this: Do we as the human race and parents >expect a "guarantee" when we parent a deaf child? How can you put a price >or policy on a creature we appreciate so much? How can MF guarantee >something that clearly God and or fate has inteded? I've never owned a >deaf ferret so I possible couldn't understand the hardships, but it's >just my opinion. Of course, we love these animals no matter what the problem, but God neither intended nor was in charge of the controlled breeding of these animals. If mother nature was in charge many of our ferrets would not have survived the true test of nature at it's harshest. Specifically the genetic defect that leads to the blazes and also codes for deafness (Waardenburg's syndrome) would be weaned out by predators and other factors in the wild. Albinos would be few and far between, unless there was an advantage to being white- like in a snow covered area. Man has taken it upon himself to snub mother nature or God and control the breeding of domesticated animals to fit man's idea of what is good or bad. Pretty and cute outweigh function and heartiness. Look at what has happened to dalmations, hip problems in sheppards, temperment problems of pit bull terriers, and so on. If man is going to interfere with the natural process of things in order to make some money then he should be willing to take responsibility for genetic defects that were bred in order to get a desired color, or other trait.. Patty [Posted in FML issue 3472]