>Finally. We will get together to discuss what both sides love ... >animals. We can sit down and hear each others sides and positions >several issues. And who knows, maybe face to face we can be open-minded >and objective enough to understand one another. And wow, maybe some >changes can be made. That would be cool. But even if nothing is >achieved, do you see this as a huge step? It's a seed that we will be >able to plant in their minds for them to consider. They will take these >concerns with them and have them forever on their minds. It's a start. >And we will finally have some facts and some base to go by other than >rumor upon rumor on the Internet. Not that they are all rumors ... I'm >just saying, now we can have the chance to grasp the whole picture. Wolfy; I too see this meeting this meeting as an avenue of hope. I also believe that the common ground here, is "the ferrets". This meeting of suppliers and the consumers can be the vehicles of progress; or the disastrous collision of the two. This can be a "win-win" opportunity for both sides of this equation; BUT, only if certain factions enter into this dialog with a purposeful hope of mutual helpfulness, and with the ferrets as the central benefactor. Agendas and egos are self serving to individual ideology and will serve only to further divide these two groups. Thee ferret community needs responsible breeders, and breeders need responsible clients. We all must recognize the fact that responsible selective breeding is the real future of healthy, long lived pet ferrets. Careful selection of breeder ferrets and selective selling to further the lines of healthy breeding ferrets are imperative in lineage. On the other hand, there is also a need for the so called, "convenience" or "Pet Shop" ferret. Not everyone can nor wants to breed ferrets; so altered ferrets are the answer. Not everyone lives in a private home, and most apartment complexes have ambiguous rules about noxious odors within the apartments; thus the need for descented ferrets. Somewhere in the middle of all this, lie the ferret shelters. These "shelter" people take on the awesome responsibility of the errors of both sides of the equation. Is prepubescent spay/neuter and/or descenting wrong? For some, Yes; for others, No. We should embrace and love these fur kids, regardless of where they come from. These "fur kids" are just like "skin kids" in regards to origin or lineage; They all have the same needs! Will we all come together for purpose of learning and sharing for the greater good of our ferrets? I can only hope so Dooks and Blessings, Rick White [Posted in FML issue 4852]