Dear Roary, ooooooooooooh are 'they ' gonna rip you one! I agree. It's a PET STORE! While we have 13 unadoptables from a ferret shelter "too old, too sick, or behavior probs", one of the Ferret Shelter's gets new 'older' dumps in all the time , as does her helper (they're both over 30 ferts each.... all loved and well cared for while waiting for forever homes) The pet store is not the problem. Uneducated people are the problem. Someone wants a ferret, they will get one! Education prior to getting one is the answer... and very few humans will admit to needing knowledge to 'take care of a pet'. I haven't a clue as to how to get the word out. The shelter mom goes to Petsmart at least once a month to do education re: ferrets. Perhaps if you can think of some way to educate humans as to the delicacy of these guys, the health issues, the litter box ha ha ha, the spite shites (If I can't go in that room, I'll just make a political statement right here!) I think working WITH Petsmart, perhaps having info sheets available to read PRIOR to the sale is far better than telling a store it can't sell an animal just because we are too dam*ed in love with the lil guys.. We also know of all of the behavior and health issues, and love them all the more! Hey, the mice in their store are cute as hel* too... With 13 weasels, I KNOW better than to get a mouse, or hampster though. I doubt any of mine would eat the fuzzy, but they would hurt it, I'm pretty sure! It took guts for you to write your post!!! Hugs from Wild Weasel Rez and Wildlife Sanctuary, Michelle and the hoarde! [Posted in FML issue 4788]