Alphachi wrote, with regards to tattoos. >This is the ID MF chose, it is THEIR responsibility to insure consumers by >responsibly policing the market. NO! This is NOT MF's identification policy - they simply use the tattoos internally for their own purpose (to mark which ferrets have already had surgery). They never intended for that to be used as a means of identification. According to MF, identification is SOLELY by the "MF" pamphlet that comes with the ferret. The use of the tattoos as identification is OUR choice - shelters started using the tattoo as ID because they rarely got paperwork when people dropped off ferrets (and never got it with ferrets found abandoned). The tattoos are useful to people involved in rescue: they're a good clue that the ferret is neutered, since MOST ferrets with tattoos are MF. But its not an absolute, and its our decision to use it for ID anyway. MF has stated repeatedly that the tattoos are for internal (i.e., in the ranch) identifcation, only, NOT for use as a way of identifying a ferret as theirs. As such, they have never attempted to copyright the design or prevent other people from using it. If we choose to use it as a means of identification, thats our business. But we have to accept the fact that there ARE no copyrights on the tattoos, and anyone else COULD come and use the same sign. Does it happen that frequently? No, probably not. Which is why its a good "clue" that a ferret is from MF. I wish it *were* 100% reliable - but its not. The paperwork that comes with a ferret when you buy it at a pet store SHOULD be - if you're going to fault MF for not "policing" adequately, at least fault them for the policing they're actually responsible for. >Let me share an observation of a rescue shelter: >OF THE APPROX. 150 FERRETS, 1/3 had adrenal disorders. Of the 150 ferrets, >all with the adrenal disorders were identified as MF ferrets. In fact, most >of the remaining were MF except for a few European, none of these had >adrenal disorders. If 98% of the ferrets are MF, and 100% of the adrenal cases were MF, this is hardly evidence of anything whatsoever. Except that ferrets get adrenal disease, which we already knew. This isn't defending MF - its just logic. Its like those questions you had in elementary statistics: if you have a box containing 147 red balls, and 3 blue balls, and you pick out 50 of them, whats the likelihood that all 50 would be red??? If you're at all shocked that all 50 with adrenal disease were MF, then I heartily suggest you *don't* take up gambling. (Unless of course you'd like to make a bet with me? I could use the money! <grin>) -rochelle [Posted in FML issue 1986]