Looks to me like they are just sliding them across the floor onto some empty water bottles. Doesn't exactly sound cruel. In fact, I used to slide my ferrets on the floor like that all the time, they thought it was a great big game.Ferrets are ridiculously durable and make it a point to try to kill themselves daily (or at least it looks like it)

Assholes!

Edit: Not you, GAMS! ; )

Put yourself in the perspective of the ferrets. Would you honestly think that heading head first into anything would be FUN? Have you ever watched "Its Me or the Dogs" on Animal Planet? She always does interesting things to give the owners the perspective of the animals. Maybe it IS fun, but did they interview the ferrets?

Stop and think what people do for fun before you ask that question.

unless they are literally bowling with the ferrets, the animals most likely enjoy it. My ferrets got all sorts of happy when I would slide them across the floor. Of course I never threw them headfirst or anything, just slid them across the floor.

I can't say for sure about these people because I don't know what they were doing exactly. They could have been hurling the poor critters at full bottles of water for I know.

YMCA?
Oh dear...

Young man, there's no need to feel down.
I said, young man, grab ferrets off of the ground.
I said, young man, then just throw 'em around
There's no need to be unhappy.

Young man, there's a place you can go.
I said, young man, bowl ten strikes in a row
You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find
Ferrets like to have a good time

Bowling with ferrets in the Y-M-C-A
Bowling with ferrets in the Y-M-C-A

They have everything for you guys to enjoy
Throw ferrets around like toys...

I've worked with domestic and wild animals for many years and have kept ferrets for some of them. Ferrets are remarkably resilient, and just naturally insane creatures, and I just don't see any abuse, or even callousness here. Sliding them down a slick floor into very light, plastic bottles might confuse, or at the most, annoy the little guys, but it certainly doesn't scar them. They're not hurling them down at real, heavy bowling pins--these are small, empty, plastic containers that weigh hardly anything. It's moronic, but not abuse.

Letting them alone is more likely to hurt a ferret--they're just naturally prone to being wonderful idiots.

Honestly, I can't work out why anyone reads the Daily Mail, or much less takes its reportage seriously.

Good lord, don't watch this then!

<a href='http://www.plime.com/redir.p?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcKOQrz19Yg' class='plime' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><b>flash video</b></a>

I am guilty of this as well.

<a href='http://www.plime.com/redir.p?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD4kjjQRE9I&amp;feature=related' class='plime' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><b>flash video</b></a>

Your first video isn't working, TM.

Yes it is!

IMO..If the ferrets returned for more (or didn't run and hide) it's as good as an "interview" to me. And I've owned a ferret as well..and they ARE nuts.

BTW..did anybody try searching YouTube for "ferret bowling"? It's not the first time this has been done.

I also suppose it's abuse when I make my cat dive off the couch after a bunch of feathers on a stick....come arreset me...but he freakin' LOVES it.

Have you ever owned a ferret? :|

I guess this is a bad time to mention the kitten bowling we did at my house. They did keep coming back for more, though.

I'm of the opinion that the bowels of Hell are littered with ferrets. Those things are little devils. Pure evil in a fur coat. They're monsters and yet, they're so cute I can't help but stick my hand in the ferret pit whenever I'm in a pet store and watch as they tear the flesh off my bones.

So I wouldn't be surprised if they liked being used as bowling balls. It probably satisfies their need for destruction and terror.