>M. Max wrote, >>I don't have a solution other than to stop pet store trade in ferrets all >>together. >Are are saying to stop selling ferrets in petstores all together in this >paragraph? To stop selling fuzzies in reputable petstores would only hurt >our ability to further educate people about ferrets! In alot of >circumstances petstores are the only way an unknowing person has any type >of interaction with them. >Perhaps I'm misreading it? Nope you were not. Pet stores make it possible for places like MF to stay in business. Without a vehicle to move all those ferrets MF wouldn't have the numbers of retired breeder that they have because they wouldn't be able to sell all the kits they breed. Pet stores, even the best ones promote the concept that animals are a product to be bought and sold, on impulse, with more regard for the immediate "need" of the human than regard for the long term needs of the animal. I don't consider this education. All it is is popularization. If you mean that that ferrets are becoming popular pets due to their presence in pets then I would agree with you. I'm just not sure that this is necessarily a good thing. I've had ferrets living in my home for over 15 years now. I consider my ferrets a part of my family and when I make family decisions, their needs are part of that decision. I regarded them that way when I got them. I would no more get rid of my ferret because I couldn't find housing to accommodate him then I would get rid of my husband because our job needs might be in conflict. If my ferret gets sick, it gets treatment, period. I would not take in a ferret as a pet that I couldn't or wasn't willing to care for. (Shelters occupy a different place in the scheme of things in my mind because their mission is to take in unwanted or displaced pets and I bless them for it). The people I don't understand are the ones that buy that cute kit and then are surprised at the cost of the medical care ect that they are confronted with down the line. From what I see on this list on occasion (one that comes to mind is the person breeding ferrets with not enough money to take them to a vet when needed) and from what I hear around me, many people do not regard their pets as trusts and responsibilities but rather as entertaining objects that are nice when convenient and disposable when not. That is the concept of pets that I think pet stores promote. Poor is not the issue here either, so don't label me as bigoted against poor people. There are people who don't have alot of money that choose responsibly to only take on the ferrets (or kids for that matter) that they can reasonably expect to be able to take care of and this is good. Others aren't in a position to take care of themselves let alone someone else (and some of these have enough money just not enough sense). These are the people that someone else ends up having to pick up the slack for. I think most of you know what I mean. Anyone can find themselves in a position to need help occassionally but to always or most always be in that position and to take on the care of an animal is not showing love, its showing disregard for the welfare of that animal. Feeling a strong need to have a ferret is not the same as having the ability to take care of that ferret. There is no right to something without responsibility. Max [Posted in FML issue 2006]