Monday, May 17, 2010

Animal welfare groups hopping mad over ferret trouser contest

A retired headmaster has come up with a novel idea for fund-raising by resurrecting a sport in which ferrets are placed down competitors' trousers.

Frank Bartlett, 67, insists the charity "ferret legging" event is a light-hearted test of endurance but animal welfare groups have been left hopping mad.

The National Ferret School said that the contest, being held in Whittington, Staffordshire, would subject the animals to unnecessary stress and discomfort. It has asked the RSPCA to investigate whether the event would breach the Animal Welfare Act.



Mr Bartlett argued that the competition would cause no harm to the ferrets as they were docile, "would probably go to sleep" and would be placed down baggy trousers. The current ferret legging world record is thought to be more than five hours, set in the 1980s.

James McKay, the director of the Derbyshire-based National Ferret School, believes the contest will subject the animals to unnecessary stress and discomfort and has lodged an official complaint with the RSPCA.

However, Mr Bartlett insisted the "light-hearted" competition, which aims to raise around £1,000 for the local community first responder group, would cause no harm to his ferrets, which would probably go to sleep.

5 comments:

Foreigner1 said...

I wouln't worry if I was those animal welfare folks- In my personal experience, if a ferret doesn't like what you do to it, it will bite. If a ferret is a bit playful, it can bite. And if by chance that animal is down some trousers at the wrong place when it decides to bite, ... ehhhhhhhhhh....

:-P

Arbroath said...

Hahaha!

therealpixie said...

Nobody better put MY ferret in anybody's trousers. She would most definitely be stressed to the max.  Although I would like to see the men get a good nip or two, the ferrets would probably receive worse in retaliation.  Not a sport; not funny; not fair.

L said...

If I got shoved headfirst down somebody's pants, I'd definitely be stressed!

Barbwire said...

What a wonder is the mind of man!  Only men could think of something like this, let alone do it and then make a contest out of it.  Seriously, can you imagine women coming up with something similar?