Risa asked about the SOS shelters' wish lists and Bill replied:
>[Moderator's note: Yes, it is still updated. The list can be found at:
> http://www.supportourshelters.org/SOS-ShelterList.html
The SOS provides so much! They help people find shelters and their wish
lists. They help them find the treating vets so that people can give
directly to help cover shelters' medical bills, and also so to help
people find vets who treat ferrets. They run money drives to help
shelters.
The SOS is one of the two long established, tax deductible charities that
help ferret shelters that our moderator Bill Gruber selected to receive
funds in the FML 5000 celebration, which is a thank you to Bill Gruber
for bringing us the FML ever day, rain or shine, illness or health. The
other is the ELF fund of the IFC. BTW, both of these charities began due
to the hard work of FML members! Over $3,000 dollars has been collected
so far, with a goal of $5,000, so we just need to get the final 40% in
the last approximately 20 days. Isn't it wonderful that Bill chose to
celebrate by helping ferrets? If you want to know more about it:
http://www.geocities.com/imdella/fml5000.html
------
The other side is starting to garner public comments to oppose the
change to help ferrets with ferret-specific standards at APHIS/USDA.
This anonymous comment is the first PUBLIC one I have seen:
Agency Docket Number: 04-088-1, Document ID: APHIS-2005-0063-0054,
http://docket.epa.gov/edkfed/do/EDKStaffItemDetailView?
objectId=090007d480984bcb
Personally, if this person figures it is okay that force-weaned ferrets
of only 5 weeks, sometimes with unhealed incisions, are being crammed
into little boxes with spilled food and water for shipping, not protected
from temperature extremes which other animals can handle but ferrets
can't, etc -- well, I have to wonder what sand his or her head has been
hidden in...
Still, this sort of comment makes it all the more important that those
of us who have so long wanted to change these deplorable conditions at
farms, their distributors, and their transport speak up and ask for
ferret-specific standards designed by ferret vets! This is our chance
to improve conditions all over the country!
WE CAN DO THIS! YOU CAN DO THIS! Imagine how good we will all feel
once we succeed. All it will take is to keep writing in and letting
the USDA/APHIS know that such changes have wide support. Seeing wide
support, and reading the experiences of those who have encountered
situations which should not exist will save ferrets, so everyone's
letter is important!
The person wrote:
> APHIS has been regulating ferrets under the Animal Welfare Act
> since 1970. Standards for the care and housing of these animal are
> currently contained in Subpart F of the Animal Welfare Regulations.
> Since ferrets have been effectively regulated using these standards
> without any significant issues arising, there is no need to establish
> a new set of standards for these animals. They should continue to be
> regualted using the Subpart F standards.
Tell me -- no, tell APHIS/USDA -- when you see sick and underage ones
newly arrived in stores, and when you read of ones suffering or dead
from poor transportation do YOU think the current standards that have
been in place, unimproved, for 35 years protect ferrets well enough?
Here is the DIRECT URL for sample letters and points to make:
http://www.ferretcongress.org/USDA/sampleletters.html
and here is the DIRECT URL for the edocket
http://docket.epa.gov/edkfed/do/EDKStaffCollectionDetailView?
objectId=0b0007d4809252bb&docIndex=0
where you can read the comments of others and submit your own comments
BTW, if people are worried about having a spelling and grammar check
Alexandra has offered to quietly edit to help people who want to
write but have been afraid to do so:
<[log in to unmask]>
So, how do you like the comment that the standards which have been in
place as sufficient? (Shaking head over that comment, and trusting the
FML membership to send their notes so that they can get the changes
needed to save lives with ferret-specific standards designed by ferret
vets.)
I think this means that we are starting to scare the worst of the ones!
Want to scare them more? Want to actually change them for the better?
This is your best chance ever!
BTW, I notice in the dockets that some non-US ferret groups are now
making everyone aware that the world is watching! Thanks so much for
cheering us all on with your polite and public support!
If you can send a snail mail letter (Send an original and 3 copies in
one envelope.) that is even better. The addy is in
http://www.ferretcongress.org/USDA/sampleletters.html
but the edockets greatly help, too, so keep 'em getting in --
whichever way you want to, just get your comments in to save ferrets!
[Posted in FML issue 4979]
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