I fully expect to be flamed for this comment LOL.  While I realize that
everyone ON this list is passionate about ferrets, about their care, and
about their welfare... please be aware that not all of us are shelter
owners, and not all of us will EVER get our ferrets exclusively from
shelters.  Period.  Bottom line.
 
PetSmart is here too, and IF by any chance they do start to sell ferrets,
my opinion is "HURRAY... at least a store that SELLS the proper caging,
good food, good bedding, good FERRET supplies to go along with that new
fuzzy is doing this!!" We have a major pet chain here in Calgary that
sells ferrets... a LOT of ferrets, and has absolutely no interest in
selling "good" ferret supplies along with them despite the best efforts
of TWO local ferret rescue socities to educate them!  A person buying
from them is likely to be sent home with a single level cage, Hagen
Ferret Food, the idea that having the bottom of the cage covered with
pine pellets or Yesterdays News is acceptable bedding and sugar-based
treats.  I should know.  I was one of them initially!!!
 
Just as another thought in addition to this, ferrets in shelters and in
foster homes are being cared for.  They ARE being loved and their needs
are being taken care of.  These wee ones in the stores do NOT have a
home, and in a lot of cases do NOT have adequate care and attention day
to day.  As a devil's advocate position, WHICH ferrets are actually the
rescues here?  Dont presume to tell me that if I continue to BUY ferrets
at pet stores to remove them from an ugly situation (email me privately
and I'll be glad to share my experience with buying to take on vet
costs!!) that I'm a " bad ferret owner".  I have both "pet store" and
"adopted from shelter" ferrets in my home as my beloved furkids... and
will continue to keep that mix.
 
Lets be realistic here.  You..we..  are NEVER going to be able to stop
the sale of ferrets in pet stores any more than we'd be able to stem the
sale of puppies and kittens.  It is unrealistic to think that we may do
so.  And it is equally unrealistic to assume that ferrets bought in pet
stores will end up in shelters.  Bah.  The analogy here is akin to plane
crashes..  you hear about the spectacular ones but not the thousands that
stay in the air... some ferrets DO end up in shelters..  but what of the
thousands that go to good homes and stay their for their lifetimes!!
 
If I'm looking for a new fuzzy to add to my business... I will continue
to go to the shelter websites in my area..  and to check the petstores
here to to see if there's a wee one that would fit in well.  So sue me.
 
DookDancer and Her Ferret Collective
Barnum, bailey, Cliodhna, Finnegan and Sasha
Missing: YokoOHNO!  Kami amd their friends Smokey, Bandito, and Nanook.
[Posted in FML issue 4705]