Ferrets – More popular as pets than most realize

Ferrets are members of the mustelid (weasel) family and have been domesticated for at least 2,500 years.

 

If you’ve never known a ferret, imagine extremely intelligent (think along the lines of a 2 – 4 year old human child) kittens that never grow up. Always full of joy and playful. So attached to their human families that they are known to become depressed and ill if they lose that family.

 

Meet Haku, Mr. Peebers, Crixus, and Mushi. Haku and Crixus began their lives in two separate ferret farms. They were lucky. They survived to reach the pet stores. Though they lost their first families for whatever reasons, they were lucky again – and were rescued by a caring, dedicated ferret shelter – and then were adopted into their forever home. These are pictures of much loved pets. This is the life one would expect for ferrets. Sadly, this life will never be experienced by thousands suffering in ferret farms.

 

Especially in the U.S., many pet ferrets come from pet mills. Giant businesses housing thousands of breeder ferrets that never get so much as a safe, clean living environment, much less a moment of kindness.

 

 

Thank you to Connie for allowing pics of her much loved Bug!

 

 

 

Thank you to South Australian Ferret Association for allowing pics of their much loved

ferret fur babies’ adventures at Port Adelaide!

All the ferrets in the previous images are loved as family members.

 

 

 

The horrors of ferret farms

Triple F Ferret Farm has been cited multiple times for cruelties that most people are unable to view due to graphic content.

Many organizations that work to protect animals from unnecessary cruelties sponsor petitions to state authorities to regulate the kind of abuse and neglect that Triple F has been cited for committing.

From ForceChang.org

by Jessica Nowiki:
Triple F Farms, Inc is a ferret farm located in Bradford City, Pennsylvania that prides itself in “providing the safest and cleanest environment possible, in additional to proper nutrition and preventative medicine.” Unfortunately, an undercover investigation facilitated by PETA uncovered quite a different story. This ferret-breeding factory whose animals are sold to laboratories and pet stores is operated with confined cages, filthy conditions and heat that reaches up to 99 degrees.

 

With more than six thousand ferrets in confinement at Triple F Farms Inc, they are often prone to dehydration, starvation severe neglect and death. Some of the health problems that PETA’s investigation found in the ferrets were bloody rectums, gaping wounds, herniated organs, ruptured eyes, infected feet and inflamed mammary glands. Cages were cleaned every three to six weeks, and each cleaning turned up overwhelming amounts of urine, feces and carcasses. The investigator questioned the ownership, management and supervisors of Triple F Farms about these vile conditions countless times in fear for their lives. Rather than receiving an answer or assistance, the investigator was instructed to just leave them as they were.

 

Triple F Farms claims that veterinarians visit their farm on a weekly basis, however throughout the four-month duration of the investigation not one vet was admitted to the premises. Instead, lay employees used unsterilized tools in a dirty room to perform surgeries. Sign petition here.

 

Also from Change.org

There is an option to see the video of Triple F abuse and neglect. Be warned – graphic content. You may also sign the petition  without viewing the video. Every signature helps!

 

From Causes.com