>From: Bailey L Goodman <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: MF & Corporate behavior... Thank you. We need more to see clearly that it is not in our best interests to get hysterical over possibly (probably?) false rumors about the evils of any particular business (or person) in ferrets. MF is not the only victim. United Vaccines gets their share. Individual people get attacked this way as well. >From: "Monkey, Kona, Two, and Mitz Schlossberg" <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: Bailey and ferret life spans and MF >I agree that those who defend them thoroughly are misguided. Okay. Why are they misguided? Do you have some source of information that we do not? But then who defends them really? We have yet to find reliable information about the evils of Marshall Farms beyond the rushing of kits to market forcing too early the altering surgeries and forced weaning. This is not defending them. This is looking at the facts and the sources of rumors. We are the most vocal proponent of rationally looking at the MF issues. We do not defend their practices of early spay and neuter nor sales through pet stores. Though one does have to realize that the early altering is largely responsible for ferrets not being in the massive state of over population that dogs and cats are in. Regional over populations at some times, sure but not a national problem like with the more popular pets. Marshall Farms through Dr. Wendy Winsted's work became the basis for ferrets as pets in this country - this is a kind of unavoidable fact picked up in researching the history of ferrets in this century. The early spay/neuter though is one of those two edged sword dilemas. You sort of have to pick which edge cuts you the least - over-population or reduced growth and potential health issues. Darn but that is tough. bill and diane killian zen and the art of ferrets mailto:[log in to unmask] mailto:[log in to unmask] http://www.zenferret.com/ [Posted in FML issue 1895]