Melissa Hi, Ok first off I don't think that anyone has asked anyone to condone the giving up of any pet. >I don't care why people want to get rid of their ferrets; they're not >happy, fine. But nobody had better tell me that I should support, >condone, or in any way agree that these people can avoid all the >problems that made the ferret an unacceptable pet by simply getting a >different pet. The same thing will just happen over and over, and they >will leave a trail of discarded, broken-hearted pets in their wake. I do think that some (myself included) feel that if you do not having anything positive to say about someone trying to be responsible enough to find their baby a loving home by posting to the list do not say anything at all. So those that post get flamed for being responsible enough to find homes ........ what potential posters ....... will others want to post to find these babies loving homes for fear of being flamed, or will these babies just get sent to an over run shelter? Which would you rather see being done? Even if you do not agree for whatever reason. As far as "dumping" goes ...... I have adopted only 2 of my ferrets that i would consider "dumped" ......... Chomper's who i got from the human society and Piggy boy (rest his poor lil soul) who was abandoned at a local motel. The others that i have adopted came from people responsible enough to try and find these babies loving homes. >Let me explain -- when someone comes on this list and says that "the >ferret is too much work -- it does X, Y, and Z" and we all know that >X,Y,and Z are things that cats and dogs and birds do, too, then I think >it is a moral obligation to tell the person "don't get another pet until >you can deal with X,Y,and Z." I say moral obligation, because to remain >silent will allow a situation to happen where another animal is very >likely to suffer because the same thing will happen again. Not all animals are the same ..... people are not the same ..... someone may be a dog person but hate cats ......... some may love cats but hate dogs ...... me personally do not like spiders and snakes. There is differnt care with different animals. I can leave the house for the day and my cats will be fine ....... however i cannot leave the house for the day without someone coming to leave the dogs out to go to the bathroom. Even though i have a fenced in yard and a dog house would not feel comfortable leaving them outside all day. My bird would be fine for a day ....... give her fresh food and water and she can go a day without being out. So, i do not agree with the statement that another animal will suffer because the same thing will happen. Cheers Pooh PS ....... Smokey, Chompers, and Lilly do not appear to be heartbroken what so ever. God rest their lil souls neither did Bijou (sp), Dougie, Bandit, or Armone. The only one that seemed to be heartbroken was my poor lill piggy boy ......... and he was abandoned with adrenal cancer. My 2 cats that were adopted bad kitty and Turtle boy are not heart broken nor is my adopted rottenweiler, who was pulled from an abusive home by a friend and then given to me. Love requires sacrifice. It's not "free." It's duty, obligation, and responsibility, and people who can't deal with it shouldn't be made to feel like that's ok. Because it's not ok to the innocent, completely helpless animal. And it shouldn't be ok to anyone else." Melissa Ince [Posted in FML issue 3875]