Roary, that is such a wonderful post, and as a letter to APHIS it is sure
to make them realize some of the existing problems which can be corrected
if they begin to have ferret specific standards!
 
Not placing ferrets in shipment next to, on top of, or below containers
that could pose any hazards (poisoning, freezing, crushing) is also
something we are trying to get written in.  So is protection from
over-heating on the tarmac which has killed ferrets in transport.
 
We need a lot of people to write to APHIS so that these years of work
continues instead of being lost.
 
We have a real chance to stop the sale and transport of young kits,
to keep ferrets safe in farms, distributors and transport.
 
EVERYBODY:  LET APHIS/USDA KNOW THAT YOU SUPPORT FERRET-SPECIFIC
STANDARDS.
 
If you don't we could lose all of the progress we have made.
 
(These standards do not apply to any place not currently under USDA
control.  For instance, private breeders fall into other
jurisdictions such as state ones.)
 
If we can get ferret specific standards we will eliminate many of the
must frustrating and heart breaking avoidable problems which come under
discussion pretty much every month, but if people don't write in support
we could lose all of the progress made so far.
 
See:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/
edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-15516.htm
(petition text)
 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/
edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-15516.pdf
(pdf with many details)
 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/
edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-15516.pdf
(edocket -- comments there can take up top 72 hours to appear)
 
>Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies of your
comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 04-088-1,
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71,
4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
Please state that your comment refers to Docket No.  04-088-1.
 
See also:
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
for some important points to raise and sample letters.
 
Be polite; these are people who can help us by helping ferrets, but they
need to be able to point out that they are receiving many letters in
support of ferret specific standards to do so.
 
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO SAVE FERRET LIVES ALL OVER NATION FOR MANY YEARS
TO COME BY JUST SENDING A LETTER.
 
It doesn't matter who you are.  If you feel that you are too new to
ferrets to speak from your own experience then notice the proposals with
which you agree and ask APHIS for ferret specific standards and for those
changes you noticed.  Pretty well every month someone winds up writing in
to this list or others about kits who are under 8 weeks of age who as a
result have developed health problems: prolapses, failure to thrive,
stunting, etc.  Wouldn't it be so great to not have see that problem ever
again?  You can do that!  No one else can do it for you, though.  We need
numbers!  We need a lot of letters to APHIS.  We need your letter to
achieve these goals.
 
-- Sukie (not a vet)
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 4971]