Hey just a minute aren't you folks getting off the track - this isn't about whether or not Dr Kemmerer is a good veterinary surgeon which she she undoubtedly is. However, one thing I have realised is that if you don't like the fact that she is willing to undertake unnecessary surgical procedures you get a "rocket" when she tries to justify the act of de-scenting and de-clawing. Come on Dr Kemmerer - you save ferrets lives, that is obvious from the posts on this mailing list but does that give the you God given right to remove the top joints of a ferrets toes because the ferret has destroyed $2000 couch and the keeper demands it? If the couch is already destroyed let the ferrets keeper (I use the word keeper as animals are free spirits and as such cannot be owned!) turn it into a ferret toy! Maybe, just maybe, if all veterinary surgeons really stood back and looked at what they were doing by chopping off the ferrets toes at the first joint they would realise just how unethical it is to pander to the demands of folk who put material things before the needs of their pet. If these ferret keepers knew that they couldn't resort to mutilation at the hands of a vet they might think twice before taking ferrets into their homes. If the keeper doesn't like the fact that you've refused to de-claw and then wants you to put it sleep because (in her/his opinion) it wouldn't do well in another home - incidentally why should a ferret be condemned to death just because it is behaving like a ferret? - the keeper is being extremely selfish, i.e. They can't have the ferret designed the way they want it to be (it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "designer ferrets") so nobody else can try to give it a good home". BTW ferrets do not appear to suffer trauma when they move homes - I've got 48 of them here, some of them are quiet for a few days, probably due to the trauma of being "dumped" by the previous keeper and being left to fend for themselves "in the wild". Once they realise they've landed on their paws (complete with claws) they are soon chooking and weasel war dancing along with the rest of the gang, and digging yet more holes in the settee. Ferrets will settle down quite happily when they get regular meals, a comfortable bed, interesting things to play with and cuddles. Do you ask what the keeper has done to keep the ferret amused, most ferrets like to dig. I've got one little chap, Fritz, who has to try out the noise a new toy makes when he scratches it, some ferrets love to make a noise in fact, the noisier the new toy the more they like it. Right, Fritz likes to use his claws, if he was de-clawed it would mean the end of his life, he's disabled enough without that, his back legs are deformed due to rickets(?) and he also has dislocated kneecaps, he gets around fine, no one has told him he's disabled but to deprive him of his claws and thus mangle his front paws would just about kill him, he can't jump as high as his pals so to keep up he has to use his claws to climb up things, Todd Cromwell suggests that chicken wire could be used to prevent a ferret scratching a carpet near a door - another tried and tested method is to use a heavy duty door mats, the type with bristles, ferrets appear to enjoy destroying the door mats so they 'dig' that to their hearts content. They also leave the other soft furnishings alone. The door mats need to be replaced on a fairly regular basis because the ferrets have destroyed them - diversionary tactics are always better than mutilation. IMO if a ferret keeper demands the death of ferret because they can't get it de-clawed they are not fit to have the privilege of keeping *any* animal, and should be banned for life from keeping one. I'm sorry if this post is rather strong but I feel very strongly when it comes to ferret welfare and I get upset when folk do terrible things to ferrets. Sheila and the 48 'rescued' ferrets. Bolton Ferret Welfare & National Ferret Welfare Society Newsletter Editor http://www.btinternet.com/~sheila/ferrets.htm (Last Update 7 April 1998) Waiting at Rainbow Bridge: Jill & Deanna Troi [Posted in FML issue 2278]