MD legislation, who is trying to derail ferret folks work, 8 weeks vs.
12 weeks in fiscal arguments:
 
You wrote:
>Path Valley Farms has sent a letter to pet stores and veterinarians
>stating that we are trying to remove ferrets from pet stores and that
>we'll be going after puppies and kittens next.  They're also notifying
>veterinarians that our next target will be to go after them to hold all
>animals for 7 days after surgery.  Rather ridiculous on both accounts,
>but we've sure got their attention.
 
I've seen a copy of that letter and know from one of the other groups
also working toward your mutual goal (Kudos to ALL of you for fine work!)
that the size statement they made to the pet stores was said to be wrong
by 2 weeks (though I did not have time to verify) as per vet texts and
did not at all take into account how long kit BEHAVIOR lasts.
 
I found the statements made to the vets to read as foolish alarmism and
thus be more likely to work FOR older age legislation and AGAINST PV's
stance because the vets might think, "Huh, what are they talking about?"
then try to find out only to realize that like veterinarians this
legislation focuses on improving health.  Vets have a tendency to be
"Show Me!" people, which is the norm for high levels of intelligence and
education.
 
The pet store related comments could get some of those folks upset,
though, for sales window reasons.
 
Two things I don't know are if a 12 week age is fiscally prohibitive for
any pet stores (since some charge less after a certain age, usually 6
months here) or for farms.  I recall that being a concern I had when Barb
showed me the pre-proposal for review before it went to legislators.
Ingrid, I think that If they can prove that then it would make sense for
all the MD groups to work together for a compromise with the industry's
current sales ages and rewrite to an age which HAS been successfully used
by farms and pet stores in the past, and which CAN be shown with a dental
eruption which can be easily described for inspectors: 8 weeks (the age
when the needle-like baby canines are being replaced by the erupting
conical adult canines).  The thing about 8 weeks is that this is the age
Marshall Farms USED to use for shipping [Pers. Com. with one of their
executives] so it can't be said to be of a prohibitive cost.  MF was
forced to reduce the ages they used to ship when other farms began
shipping ferrets at 5 or 6 weeks of age.  The pet stores liked having 2
or 3 extra kit appearance weeks, especially since ferrets did not sell as
fast in the past, so they were buying more from other farms which forced
the MF change.  It was a workable age so it could again be a workable age
for both farms and stores.  I suspect this is why 8 week age changes in
other states went through so well and hope to see it more instead of 5 or
6 weeks.
 
You are all sure working your keisters off there in Maryland!
Congratulations on so much work so well done by so many this far, and I
sure hope that we'll all be able to congratulate you for passed
legislation soon.
 
I agree that a large turnout could be VERY useful to your effort, and
so are petitions (with in-state separated from not-in-state as you are
doing, with written letters ESPECIALLY SNAIL MAIL WHICH PILES UP better
than e-mail or phones calls, but all useful.
 
>We need to show the support of all ferret-lovers at the hearing on
>March 11.
 
Please: HIGHLIGHTED details: where, when, etc.  These are perhaps best
repeated in each post on the topic from now till then
 
>PLEASE, PLEASE write/call/fax/email your delegates and voice your
>opinion!!!  Email me if you would like a sample letter.  Find your
>delegates at: http://mdelect.net/lookup.asp.
 
I repeated that because it is sure to help someone who will then help
ferrets!
 
It is good to see people working together for a good cause!  That is
the way it should always be when possible.
[Posted in FML issue 4441]