they way i see it, sometimes when a ferret is in a bad situation and the only way to rescue him is to buy him, so be it, especially here in kansas where they can be sold in exotic animal auctions, which normally have horrific conditions and the ferret is otherwise sold to an uneducated person who just wants a cheap "wild" animal. i'm not saying everyone is that way, but there are quite a few hicks like that here in kansas. also, in a big college town like this, people are known to move and if they can't get rid of their animal by selling it, they'll ditch it at the last minute. (I know of a kid who paid 1000 bucks for a doberman only to abandon it next semester) just my humble opinion. michelle [Posted in FML issue 1801]