[Moderator's note: This is more about the post in yesterday's FML:
"Shelter facing eviction!" BIG]
Barbara, in relation to the Phillipsburg situation:
1. I have not been there.
2. NJ Fish, Game and Wildlife and the local animal control have been to
the home and the conditions were described as excellent and very clean;
I have spoken directly with the F&G person who inspected.
3. I got a lot of materials and some contact information out to the
Sadowskis many weeks ago but they have not gone before their town's
board, yet. Their zoning official has decided that if a pet type is
not mentioned in specific regulations then the pet type is not permitted,
which is kind of like saying if you aren't proven innocent then you must
be guilty.
>Fritts said because no laws address ferrets or ferret rescues, his
>opinion is that they are prohibited. "Anything that's not a permitted
>use is a prohibited use," he explained.
Phillipsburg's ONLY pet species mentioned in regulations as far as i
have been told or read are dogs and cats (and those have a limit of 4)
so anyone who has ANY other type of animal should be getting involved
in this interpretation of what companion animals are allowed. Numbers
are a different matter with other arguments needed on top of the species
aspect.
4. Animal Control in her town is willing to testify on their behalf
about the conditions.
5. F&G has a history here of being willing to step up to the plate
and clarify on state regulations and testify about conditions when
appropriate. We got one town's case thrown out that way years ago:
both the head of that section of FG&W and the state public health
vet in charge of rabies policy were willing to testify and when the
prosecuting attorney learned that in court he withdrew that suit.
6. What F&G can't do in this case is supersede local regulations; state
rules and regs place certain control over what animals are allowed and
in what numbers in control of local communities.
7. They HAVE to present before their township committee; if they don't
then they are obligated by law to meet the deadline. The longer they
wait, the closer they get to the deadline. The closer they get to the
deadline the less chance they have to finding out all the objections to
the ferrets and presenting a strong argument for their side for each.
They NEED to be doing their homework and they NEED to find out what
objections they have to tackle so that they can be effective. Until
they know what they need to debate they can't tell anyone else what
sorts of further materials or contacts they need so the approach by those
who have sent materials has been shotgun and -- sadly -- frustrating.
8. They are not on e-mail but they are in phone listings so those who
have supportive materials,documents, etc. can contact them that way and
get their snail mail address. I guess someone can look them up and ask
if they could carry their phone number, snail mail address, information
requests here if it's also okay with Bill Gruber. [If it's OK with them
it's OK with me. BIG]
--------
Florida: I think that part of what is causing some confusion here is the
rumor mill -- and when DOESN'T that cause confusion and hurt people.
Another problem is that there MIGHT be a difference of opinion between
those who are looking long-term and those who are looking short term.
Short term says to get those animals out and safe. Long term says that
hoarders do this sort of thing over and over so getting a local humane
control involved with the understanding that the ferret shelter will take
the ferrets so that they will be safe could stop or reduce repetitions
and as a result save far more animals long term. There are hoarders I've
heard about in some areas who are in their third time requiring help.
Why did I write "MIGHT be a difference of opinion"? Well, I wrote it
because in some states you CAN still prosecute those who have a voluntary
surrender but that is not the case across the board, so if Florida
doesn't allow prosecution when voluntary surrenders happen it could be
that miscommunication has simply prevented each side from knowing this
difference in the way that states do things and the monkey-wrench can
toss into the works.
--------
>Myself, husband and twelve ferrets moved to a new home but the house is
>not new. It was previously owned by a Hispanic couple.
I hope there are ghosts of salsa in music and speech in the house. Talk
about well appreciated ferret dance music! Okay, so they enjoy polka,
too, aaaaaannnnnnnnd folk music with guitar, dulcimers, and especially
banjos...
We have that type of drain, too. Just use needle-nose pliers. Our's
gets long strands of blonde and chestnut hair. It is a normal thing to
have to do every month or so with that type of drain.
[Posted in FML issue 4276]
|
