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From: tle <[log in to unmask]>
Ferret Charity -
The woman is probably "finding" the pets and selling them but at least
they are going to a concerned pet store and not a laboratory!  It could
be much worse.
________________________________________
 
Just a note.  Very few labs accept random source animals for testing.
Due to their unknown experience, they make poor test subjects.
Further, they can introduce any number of diseases, etc. to a
facility.  Facilities are maintained (usually) SPF (specific pathogen
free), that is, they would not run the risk of having to innoculate
their test animals against diseases like parvo, distemper, etc. as the
innoculations can interact with test drugs, etc.  Further, using
"random source" animals is very controversial.  Being controversial in
unnecessary ways is very undesirable for labs that wish to maintain a
low profile.  Certain militant anti-research groups have made it
dangerous for some of the most well intentioned, least intrusive, and
responsible researchers to do their research.  I even see labs using
animals for behavioural research (that is, just experiments where we
observe an animals behavior) encounter this sort of threat (personal
and professional (one animals experience is priceless and
irreplaceable)).  Well, I'll step down from my soapbox.  Hope that I'm
not stepping on toes in the process.
 
kari
--
               --()       ______           Kari Toyer
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  "Ferrets have two modes:     asleep...   and in trouble!!"
 
[Posted in FML issue 0963]