These days it's usually done in Europe and Australia but I never knew it was done in the US.
The controversy exists because owners do not treat them as pets, rankling pet owners' haunches. They're kept outside in hutches instead of part of the family. People treat outdoor dogs and cats the same way, chill.
The big deal is when hunters remove the ferrets' teeth, sometimes by pliers with no anesthetic. This is done so the ferret flushes the prey instead of destroying it.
I looked into this the other day. Apparently, they muzzle the ferret to prevent "game damage".
I'm not sure how you can look yourself in the mirror if you are not hunting your ferret.
My ferrets lead a perpetual prep school life, like princesses of Bel Air.
They wake up about 7 or 8
And they yell to their owner 'Yo homes smell ya later'
Stop giving me reasons to move to Idaho