I have to ask - what is the point in keeping these breeders "anonymous"? You are only allowing them to continue on with their business while you clean up after them. Since the authorities are doing nothing, it's up to the ferret community to do something. We need to know who these people are to prevent them from continuing to have an outlet for sale. The breeding community itself can put pressure onto these breeders to shape up or ship out. As can the show going community. If they have ferrets belonging to other breeders, those breeders will certainly want to get their ferrets back from them. I can't tell you the amount of people I told about the original Diana Bachman rescue back in 1998 (I was one of the rescues that helped take in her ferrets) and because not that many people wanted the bad press to get out and "geez, we should give her a second chance" - they still allowed her to participate at the Warmfuzzy & BFC shows, so she was still able to sell kits to the unsuspecting public who weren't "in the know". Not a year after she had dumped 50+ ferrets on the shelter community - how is that right? I hoped that we had learned our lesson after her second (even more horrendous) breeder dump years later as we then publicly announced the details on the web, in the FML, the AFA's American Ferret Report, many other ferret boards and lists, etc. AND got her convicted for animal cruelty. These people you are describing are no different than Diana Bachman. >when she is done with them. I am at a loss as to how to put an end to >these "out of control" breeding practices. While we are helping the We have to work together and let this breeder know that they need to stop breeding and you (all shelters/breeders, really) can't help them anymore until they get all their ferrets altered. You need to stop enabling them, because that is what you are doing. Part of being a responsible breeder means never burdening the shelter community. Let's all work together, shall we? Mary ********************** Novel Beginnings Ferretry http://www.geocities.com/novelbeginnings/ ********************** [Posted in FML issue 5341]