[Moderator's note: Please see my note a few posts below (in Sukie's posting) concerning the Marshall Farms topic. BIG] In response to Bill Killian's recent comments on Marshall Farms, I find that I cannot agree with his automatic assumptions that smaller breeders would not be able to provide adequate medical care and nutrition for their breeding animals. As a small breeder, Bill, I am certain that you provide care for your animals, as do I and all the other breeders I know. I also cannot agree with the assumption that smaller or other independent breeders would automatically jump on the suppliers bandwagon for research animals. The premise, that if Marshall Farms were not a massive breeding operation for pet and research, others would do so, cannot really be considered a valid point. You liken Marshall Farms to a business, and this country is free for enterprise, and so -- how come (aside from Path Valley) others have not picked up the lucrative trail?? I would venture to say that most of us in FML land own and love our Marshall Farm ferrets. What I most object to in the Marshall Farm breeding operation, is their practice of euthanizing their breeding jills at approximately 30 months. This is after the jills have been bred 2 to 4 times a year. I am sorry. This is not much of a life for a ferret. And I do not think it can be defended solely on the basis of "right of free enterprise". The other factor, is that with the limited life span of their breeding stock -- how can they begin to know of any physical problems that are being passed on to the puplic since our pets are permitted to live longer than their parents? Marshall Farms is closed to visitors. We are told this is because of the danger of bringing in infection. Most hospitals sponsor public tours for prospective patients - particularly in sensitive areas such as labor and delivery and infant nurseries. Hospitals bring tours through with proper sterile precautions -- suiting up, caps and shoe covers, and sometimes masks. Marshall Farms must have heard of sterilizing techniques to keep down germs. I am not advocating general tours -- but, hey, no one is allowed in. Why? Many ferret owners and breeders are saddened each year at early losses and illnesses that must be dealt with in their beloved Marshall Farms ferrets. That is why many of us now aquire "home bred" ferrets from small breeders, or breed our own. Yes, these ferrets can have health problems too. But they have a better chance. And for those of us who deal with many people in providing information, nursing care advise, and collect data on ferret illnesses, it is a pretty hard and often sad job. The vast majority of problems we are contacted about are in Marshall Farms ferrets. I average 5 to 10 calls a day. And it is also unfortunate but true, that our imported ferrets -- Canadian, German, English and now Australian, are proving to be healthier and larger animals than our American ferrets. A right to do business - yes. But we are dealing with animals. They are a little different than most market items. I feel that they have a God given right to be healthy. I feel that Marshall Farms should make sure their pet store ferrets have this God given right. meg [Posted in FML issue 1308]