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(This is an excerpt from a reader's comment) ... Pet ferrets are easily litter box trained with amusing friendly personalities and make good companion animals for many people. They have been bread [sic] as such for thousands of years.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jerry thomas,

Well, not only does the Blogger need linguistic assistance, but he also needs biologic assistance. We've had ferrets. Litter boxes? Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! They must be kidding!

Ferrets are very popular in my part of England, mainly as working animals but also as pets. They certainly don't have a bad reputation.

Well, they stink. Terribly. We had them for years so I know a lot about them, too. In fact, we took one to the vet because he was sick, and he wondered, if perhaps, they should do an echocardiogram...which would have been $500. I passed on that, and the little guy lived for years afterwards.

What sort of work do they do? I should have put mine to work!

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What sort of work do they do? I should have put mine to work!

Ferreting is a common country pursuit. Field and country sports are important in England - especially in the area where I live. You can find out more about ferreting and other country sports here http://www.thehuntinglife.com/html/sections/articles/fe...pping/ferreting.html

Well, I am not sure that's work, at least in the same sense that a Border Collie herds sheep.

That's certainly what the country community would say. Any animal that is kept to do a job is a working animal. If not, then it's a pet. A collie, to take your example, is only a working dog if he or she herds sheep. In the case of Flirt, she's not a working dog despite being a collie - she's a pet (that she is smarter than I am is beside the point!)

It's the role, not the animal or its breed, that determines its designation.

I agree that Flirt isn't a work dog. I hadn't said she was, had I? I only meant that an animal that helps with a sporting event doesn't seem the same to me as one who does real work. I see your point, though

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animal that helps with a sporting event

Country sports are not sporting events as would be, say, a football or cricket match. The main country sports are hunting, shooting and fishing - all of which involve killing animals. Rabbiting with ferrets is, by extension, a sport in that sense.

Not everyone agrees that killing animals for fun is right and proper, although the country sports supporters make the point that, if animals need to be killed for control or food, then why should the job be left to those who don't like to do it?

Flirt is not a working dog although she is a working breed (and a very fine one at that). But you don't work her so she is a pet. As I said, it is the role of the animal, not the breed or species.

Country sports

Aka bloodsports: e.g., bull fighting, bear-baiting, hare coursing, fox hunting, cock fighting, hog dogging, spider fighting.