>it's the animals that get hurt!  It would be great I think if you could
>enter that persons name into the computer and if they have abused an
>animal before then it would come up!  All animal abusers should be put
>into a file and everyone should be able to look at it!
 
Gwen, the first thing I thought of when I read this was all the horror
stories where animal control comes in and seizes, gestapo like, a furkid
for completely ungrounded reasons.  We've all heard these stories, had a
neighbor who's two dogs were taken on the grounds of negelect.  They had
food, water, shelter, and excellent care..  never understood where the
neglect part came in.  She did get them back, but that isn't always the
case.  Anther friend has an exotic cat and a monkey, both of which require
permits..  her home is invaded and inspected at irregular intervals.  Her
indoor enclosure scrutinized, and the guy is a real jerk about it.  On a
powertrip from hell.  If he decides, on a bad day, that she is abusing
either animal they are gone and she would be in that computer database you
mention.  There was a ferret on the list some time ago everyone was trying
to save because he scratched or bit an older man who bumped into him and
the person holding him (before my time but heard second hand) and the
ferret was destroyed to come back negative for rabies... his caregiver (I
believe a shelterdad) would go in that database.  I guess what I am saying
is I don't trust the government to make that decision or that database.
What I do think is a solution, is follow up from breeders or shelters.
If I were breeding I'd have my own database, with shot due dates and vet
info, and annual check-up due dates.  I'd call the vet and see if Coco was
brought in for her shots or if Rascal had his annual checkup.  I'd follow
up with an inhome visit (under contract) at maybe a month, 6 months and a
year.  And I guess when you look at a volume business like MF distributing
through Petshops it's not feasable, but I know I don't want Uncle Sam in my
ferret's room but I wouldn't hesitate to let a sheltermom or shelterdad in.
I wouldn't object to being bound by contract to allow the breeder access to
my furkids and their vet records on some reasonable interval.  It sounds
like a great idea, but when we have insane laws like ferts being illegal
in CA... less is more in government.
 
Tickletacklehugglepounce
Christopher & Crew
[Posted in FML issue 3314]