"MF kits: biting, vicious, evil monsters who neutralize their enemy through stink and scourge.".... Puh-leese, people. *No one* is saying this. Kits are kits, and how they are handled during their life has as much to do with temperment as how they were bred or who bred them. 'Nuff said about that. The thrust of Anne's comment (you remember, the original one?) had to do with the quality of the *human* she was dealing with, not the ferret. We all know ferrets are wonderful, adorable creatures, but some humans still put their money first. As for cancer and ferrets, the issue is not the breeder specific, but a more complicated mass of components such as: food, environment, light, age of de-sexing, exercise, etc. There are several things we would like to see changed in the practices of large breeders such as Path Valley or MF, as well as improvements in the habits of individual owners. No one should be targeted for scorn, person or company; we should instead be working together to bring about change through persistence and education. Oh yeah, and kindness. On a completely different topic, I want to say to Phyllis how much my heart aches for her and for Hope. I have no words of wisdom or advice, but I will pray for you. Know that you and Hope are being loved up right now. Ariel, Jasper, Baxter & Kayla [Posted in FML issue 2464]