We are glad we got to meet quite a few of you folks at the AFA show in Ferderick MD! Glad you took the time to say Hi even though we were up judging/stewarding the kit class. We saw some really nice ferrets and some really nice ferret owners! >From: ferret1 <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Does anyone have ferrets like ours? Actually polydactylism (extra digits) is not uncommon in ferrets. The patterns associated with Wardensburg syndrome are also commonly associated with deafness. Your descriptions can fit ferrets from nearly anywhere. >From: Juliana Quadrozzi - GA Domestic Ferret Association > <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Why do shelters get personal? >Although I don't inquire about personal finances, I might ask that if faced >w/a medical situation, would they be able to handle the responsibility of >veterinary care. We are glad we agree. The description of how you ask sounds exactly the way these questions should be asked. The exact income of a person doesn't matter in the least. Whether they understand the expenses and potential expenses of ferret ownership does. It is quite legitimate to ask questions pertaining to whether they would seek veterinary care and whether willing to pay the costs. A barely getting by college student type or a relatively poor family that is willing to forgoe cable television in leiu of a ferret that is far more entertaining anyway can just as likely do "what is right" as a $100,000 a year executive. Conversely the executive can be just as likely to see a ferret as just another possession and write off an ill ferret rather than spend money required. The issue is NOT someone's income. Its their commitment. The original issue was NOT whether a particular shelter was seeking to assess commitment but whether it appeared to the potential adopter that the questions seemed personal rather than pointed. Since we do run a shelter we are fully aware of all these points being made. We think it IS important that shelters pay attention to how they present themselves to the public as well as to whether they find good homes for their charges. If the shelter system turns off a potential adopter from the shelter system and then that person buys from a pet store. What will become of that ferret if for some reason that owner can not keep the ferret. There are many reasons - legitimate and less legitimate - for people not being able to keep ferrets. Where will that the ferret go if the owner is so turned off by the shelters that they will not consider that option. The local dog and cat shelter that may not try to place ferrets? Set them loose in the woods? Its hopeful that the 1998 Compendium that places ferrets fully in with dogs and cats may help out with that potential problem with the "official" shelters since it is addressed. >You can ask the same question in 5 different stores & get 5 different >answers. That is true of ferret breeders and of ferret shelters as well. >One of our biggest problem w/pet stores in GA, is that pet stores tell >customers that the 6-8 week old kit has had *its shot* leading to a false >impression that no further vaccinations are necessary - ever. That is not just in Georgia. bill and diane killian zen and the art of ferrets http://www.zenferret.com/ mailto:[log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 2155]