Just wanted to add my thoughts to what will hopefully be an open discussion with shared viewpoints. I will admit that at first I couldn't understand why a shelter would breed. It seemed to me that the problem is too many ferrets and too few quality homes. It didn't make sense to me to add more ferrets into the mix. But the more I think of it, especially in terms of long term chages, it makes perfect sense. Shelters and quality breeders are the only sellers who will make sure ferrets are bought by good owners. Pet stores, with their abundant mill suppliers, don't screen prospective buyers. And kits, so temptingly cute and yet so vunerable, need this protection as much as older ferrets who have already been through a bad home. The more kits sold from shelters, the less homeless older ferrets that will end up back in the shelter system. Also, when circumstances change and a ferret needs to be given up, I think most shelters and breeders would take back and rehome that ferret themselves. Breeders that care are the only ones who will be doing it for the benefit of the species. Kits bred this way will have the benefit of being weened and neutered/spayed later, resulting in healthier ferrets. Hopefully they will also breed carefully, for longevity and temperment. As more people become aware of such positive breeding and buy from private breeders and shelters, then the market for pet store kits will diminish. Hopefully someday these breeding mills will go out of business, and all ferrets will be better off! Two of my three ferrets are from pet stores (before I knew about shelters) my third gal is from a shelter. All three are Marshall Farm ferrets. Mikette at age 3 had right adrenal surgery, 6 months later developed insulinoma, and now at 5 1/2 is showing signs of adrenal again. Jillie at 4 years old needed surgery to remove some masses and is considered at risk for insulinoma. Now at 5 she just had bloodwork to hopefully rule out adrenal in respect to some recent changes. I always say I will not get another pet store kit. I always say any future ferrets of mine will be shelter fuzzies needing a forever home. They will be. But what I would love is to get a ferret from a shelter that was bred privately. A ferret that will have a chance for the healthiest, longest life possible. A ferret that will be loved by me for whatever time it has, hopefully with that time being more than the average 6-8 years given as the estimate for domestic ferrets in America. I've seen how fast that time goes by. It is too fast. I don't think Marshall Farm ferrets selling in pet stores, being rescued by shelters, and being adopted will change that. I hope sheltes/private breeding can change that. Risa Please do not think that I don't completely respect, admire, and praise shelters for the work they do everyday. I think they are amazing. They rescue ferrets that are in bad situations and need immediate help. They are invaluable, and the most important part of the ferret community. I shudder to think how horrible things would be for ferrets if they weren't there for them. But this cycle is getting worse, shelters are getting more overburdened. In addition to wanting to help shelters do the wonderful work they do, I hope to see an end to the whole "mill farm, pet store, shelter" cycle. [Posted in FML issue 4574]