Here's a reason: If this idiot wants to teach kids responsibility, he can teach them by example what happens when people are cruel to animals by feeding them whatever, denying them needed medical attention (focus especially this one right now), being willing to leave them alone for long periods of time, turning a blind eye to behavior bordering on abusive. It also sounds like there's no real free run time for the ferret. If a store or owner did these things, the RESPONSIBLE thing to do would be to report them and have the animal taken away. Let's teach the kids responsibility, or at least threaten (regretfully and personably) to do so. --Clover and the rezweezils: Buddy, Cookie, Yogi, Butter, Buster (aka Fatboy), Lew, and Marissa "Always selling quality bedding and other goodies to help the ferrets!" http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZwclovergalQQhtZ-1 [Posted in FML issue 5212]