Statement from The Mill Breeder Project Administration
The Mill Breeder Project Administration did not have prior knowledge of the meeting that took place between Virgil Klunder (Perfect Pocket Pets) and Julie, Peggy, Tammy and Paula (SPIN). We were as surprised by the announcement that a meeting had indeed taken place as everyone was, and regret that these members did not feel it would have been beneficial to discuss the meeting with MBP prior to it taking place.
Since Julie, Peggy, Tammy and Paula are also Group leaders for the Mill Breeder Project this has caused some concern in the community and while we share some of those concerns we do not feel like their involvement will jeopardize the mission of the MBP. Nor do we feel that their actions were intended to be detrimental to our ongoing work to end mill breeding. After speaking with S.P.I.N, they assured us that their purpose and their goals are still the same as ours, and have no intentions of supporting the current practices of the Mills. SPIN and the MBP are two entirely different Organizations. We both have our own system of working, but with the same goals, which is to make a better place for the sugar gliders. Therefore we will reserve judgment at this time and not ask them to step down as group leaders.
The MBP’s Group Leaders are individuals whose primary role is to assist us with obtaining information from the public who have had bad experiences with the Mill Brokers or Breeders, and to document the sale of sugar gliders who suffer illness, poor living conditions, underage sales, malnourishment or parasites. The Group Leaders also provide us with the locations where the Mills are set up to sell in their particular state and provide information on educating the public about sugar gliders.
Our future goal is to have Group Leaders set up throughout the US. Once a new member has registered with the MBP, that new member will be assigned to a Group Leader in their state so they can work together as a team.
We feel that SPIN is trying to make an effort to bridge a gap between one of our biggest rivalries. If their efforts makes a difference towards the betterment of the sugar gliders, than we will be thrilled. We see this as an attempt to make a change. We agree, their announcement to the Community was premature, which caused hurt, doubt, and a deep level of concern as to their relationship with PPP. However after speaking with SPIN, we understand that their intent is to open the eyes of a known mill broker to the possible harm Perfect Pocket Pets is causing.
The MBP feels that many of the Perfect Pocket Pet practices are inhumane and inconsistent with knowledge that we have about sugar glider husbandry, health, mental well being, diet, and all around care. This is knowledge that many in the online sugar glider community have gained from hands on experience, talking with our veterinarians, and extensive reading, not just from reports and journals. We hope that the SPIN organization can convince Virgil of these facts.
The MBP is also hoping that this is not just another ploy by Perfect Pocket Pets to sidetrack the online community from their mission of exposing the many problems that the mass production of animals by PPP has caused. We feel that a meeting took place is a good sign that at least some of the online communities efforts are getting through, and that PPP may be starting to feel the heat and would like for us to let up on them. And the very fact that Virgil Klunder himself came to this meeting seems to say that our efforts are hitting home. Maybe we are not an extremely effective opposition; we are at least an irritant that Virgil doesn’t like.
There is no doubt that Perfect Pocket Pets is a well oiled selling machine. But until we see solid proof that they are willing to take responsibility for their actions, make changes to the way that they do business, and are willing rectify the pain that they continue to cause this community, it is our opinion that Perfect Pocket Pets is a mill broker, and we do not support their practices.
The Mill Breeder Project Administration
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