You seem to be under the impression that I sell to stores, and I don't. You seem to be under the impression that I sell underage ferrets, and I don't. The one seen on a website said to be underage at the time of ship was not, but was held up as an example of "the mean old ferret farms out to make money." I had the DOB (date of birth) on the cage (along with all jill and hob and lactation info) and most taken for surgery were 8-12 weeks of age. A few males went in at 6-7 weeks of age, but not many. My vets have said that my ferret kits are the largest that they ever do from any other breeder. The people buying them had the patience of Job. That ferret pictured at a shelter had been brought to the shelter by a man called into service in the guard, and my best guess is that in all the rush to get going, it was neglected prior to going to the shelter. He had it for 2 weeks, and if you don't take care of a kit, the growth is going to not only stop, but they can look even smaller. The description even said it came in dehydrated, insinuating I shipped it sickly even while stating it came in 2 weeks after ship. He would not have meant for the kit to suffer, but could even have asked someone else to care for it for him, we don't know and should not judge. Our military people are human, and their lives can get turned upside down very quickly, and I prefer to believe the best about people, not the worst. When he ordered that kit, it was months earlier, and his military service may not have been a concern at the time, particularly in the guard. When the shelter owner contacted me, it was initially friendly, and I responded as best I could not knowing exactly which kit we were discussing since she told me the wrong buyer, and it was a shipment to several people in the same kennel, sharing shipping costs, and they could have chosen a different one from the kennel than I had intended for that person to receive, I could not be positive. So I may have given her some misinformation, but did not realize the intent of the emails as hostile rather than friendly, and my only thought at the time was being sure that the kit was being cared for, and not trying to be concerned with defending myself or proving anything. Then the kit was put on her site as an example of shipping cruelty. If you go to my site at www.carolinaferrets.net, you do not see underage ferrets being sold. A man dropped by 2 days ago and bought a 5 month old ferret that was recently neutered and not descented (not even pictured). He bought one from me earlier in the season. I don't like to see underage kits in stores any more than you do, or most of the FML readers, and for the same reasons. I tell the pet store owner or manager (just like most of you do), who usually agrees. Many, many stores do not sell ferrets now because of people telling them that it is better not to sell them than to participate in abuse. But for every store who does not sell ferrets, their competition will sell more, and they know that. Some pet store managers ask to buy my ferrets instead so that they will be older, but I don't sell to stores so that is not an option for them, but maybe it should be--there is no perfect solution to a difficult issue concerning retailers, buyers, breeders and shelters. I almost never go into pet stores anymore because I can't stand to see the little ferret kits in the plastic bins, limp and unresponsive. But I have no disagreement with the fact that kits sold in stores and shipped around are underage. My letter to the USDA was to point out that the USDA needs to be aware that loopholes will make enforcement difficult, and make them aware that I have concerns based on experience that they need to address prior to passing any new regulations, not afterwards, and so that they will look at the situation from as many angles as possible to be better informed and make the best possible decision with the least risk of loopholes. Most of the other letters were just "do this" letters, or copy and paste, and did not seem to address any enforcement concerns. People ready to jump at me on any slight provocation can twist that. I also followed up with a more detailed letter to the USDA, but the comment on the USDA site was just a quick note. I could have sent a copy and paste comment, or just said the same thing as everyone else, but that would not have been as helpful, I did not feel, as expressing the concern that they try to take into account how they will enforce any regulations that they pass. The insinuation was made that because I prefer the arrangement of a farm, rather than breeding ferrets in my basement or garage or spare room, that I was somehow pumping them out. I definitely prefer a nice building adapted to fit their needs with tunnel ventilation, misters, etc, and a triple insulated roof to how some people breed their ferrets. I am able to provide them with a lot of space so that after the litter is born, they can graduate into larger and larger cages, and have room to romp around on the floor as well. I can reduce kit mortality to an incredible low, eliminate the need for c-sections, eliminate cannibalism of kits, and do not have to sacrifice any kits to breed the angoras, as some people have suggested. Cages can be organized and labeled, then moved around and changed as the ferrets require, and the ferrets do not get bored, which keeps them healthier and better able to have healthy kits. Some people think that ferrets need to be indoors all the time, which may be true about their ferrets, but I work it out to where my ferrets get fresh air outdoors and some stimulation from the smells and sounds outdoors, for at least 60 days out of every year (maybe not continuous, but my goal is 60 days). It may be in a cage, or it may be in an outdoor play area with supervision like a daycare, or there may just be a few underfoot while I do yardwork and jumping in the leaves. To me, this is the most humane way to breed ferrets. Other people have different ideas, but I am not going to argue about it. I do not apologize for doing what I think is in the best interest of producing a healthy kit while at the same time providing the ferrets with time out of their cages. This works for me, and for the ferrets I am committed to caring for. I do not over breed, nor do I produce any more kits than I can sell one-to-one each season, or than I have total ferrets altogether since a lot of the ferrets are boarders, not breeders, and I am a no kill operation. The proceeds of the sale of ferret kits has always gone back to the ferrets themselves to improve their lives in some way, and provide for their care, and to pay the farm workers who refer to them as their "kids" and do depend on that income--some of them disabled. I work at the farm 18-20 hours a day during the busy season, sleeping there, then have my own job for my income the remainder of the year, which I do think is a calling and a ministry, and time that is very important to me and hopefully in the lives of others. When the ferrets are not in production, they are easy to care for and I need to try to take a break before the next busy season. I try to balance my life, not juggle it. Bitterness and condemnation are unhealthy, and there is enough misery in the world without people with similar interests assuming the worst of each other. --kathy jordan, carolina ferrets [Posted in FML issue 5038]