The ferrets have landed
Detail:
No, not as in a space-craft-arrival-type scenario, but instead being viewed firmly as pets rather than as a working animal.
Thanks to high-profile ownership by the likes of Madonna, Paris Hilton and Jonathan Ross, more people have taken to owning ferrets. But what I find especially interesting is that there are today more ferret owners in the south east of the country than the north. Which has obvious implications for pet retailers.
And it’s not just the celebrity impact that is accounting for this changing ownership pattern.
According to a recent poll of 1,400 owners by the Ferret Education and Research Trust, the fact that there is virtually no need today to poach for food with ferrets to feed families in northern industrial areas is also a trigger.
The report, in association with James Wellbeloved, reveals that the south east, including London, accounts for 27 per cent. The West Midlands comes in second with 15 per cent. In parts of the north, ownership is apparently as low as five per cent. It also says that owners typically keep two animals.
Which means, in a nutshell, that the ferret has undergone a bit of a rebranding and is today no longer perceived as a working animal of the north, but now a pet of the south! There is also an increasing number of women enthusiasts, and most owners are aged 35 to 44.
A bit of bad news, however – a local newspaper report yesterday was warning owners in Redditch and Bromsgrove to be aware that a canine distemper virus outbreak has already claimed the lives of up to 80 ferrets.
The airborne disease is almost always fatal to ferrets. Symptoms include scabby areas around the lips and groin, discharges from the nose and eyes, sneezing, coughing and thickening of the pads on the feet. There is, however, a vaccine, so if you are selling ferret accessories or food, a quick chat with your customer about the disease would be a good idea.
But to end on a more pleasant thought: May 5 is the UK’s fourth National Ferret Day. A perfect opportunity for an in-store display of sorts to boost sales and educate your customers about this animal – you’ve got about three weeks…
Thanks to high-profile ownership by the likes of Madonna, Paris Hilton and Jonathan Ross, more people have taken to owning ferrets. But what I find especially interesting is that there are today more ferret owners in the south east of the country than the north. Which has obvious implications for pet retailers.
And it’s not just the celebrity impact that is accounting for this changing ownership pattern.
According to a recent poll of 1,400 owners by the Ferret Education and Research Trust, the fact that there is virtually no need today to poach for food with ferrets to feed families in northern industrial areas is also a trigger.
The report, in association with James Wellbeloved, reveals that the south east, including London, accounts for 27 per cent. The West Midlands comes in second with 15 per cent. In parts of the north, ownership is apparently as low as five per cent. It also says that owners typically keep two animals.
Which means, in a nutshell, that the ferret has undergone a bit of a rebranding and is today no longer perceived as a working animal of the north, but now a pet of the south! There is also an increasing number of women enthusiasts, and most owners are aged 35 to 44.
A bit of bad news, however – a local newspaper report yesterday was warning owners in Redditch and Bromsgrove to be aware that a canine distemper virus outbreak has already claimed the lives of up to 80 ferrets.
The airborne disease is almost always fatal to ferrets. Symptoms include scabby areas around the lips and groin, discharges from the nose and eyes, sneezing, coughing and thickening of the pads on the feet. There is, however, a vaccine, so if you are selling ferret accessories or food, a quick chat with your customer about the disease would be a good idea.
But to end on a more pleasant thought: May 5 is the UK’s fourth National Ferret Day. A perfect opportunity for an in-store display of sorts to boost sales and educate your customers about this animal – you’ve got about three weeks…
By:
Sandra
Date/time :
15/04/2010
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