Ferrets Magazine will be featuring a small article about the
therapeutic effects of ferrets and their roles in animal therapy. I am
seeking people to talk with and interview for the story. The story will
discuss the state of "ferret therapy" in the world today (as an update
to the large feature therapy article published many years ago). Among
other things, I hope to introduce readers to the current vocabulary and
their definitions, legislative issues, and most of all heart warming
stories about the therapeutic benefits ferrets have to offer and how
they've helped their owners.

Specifically, I would like to hear from or be put into contact with:
- Medical personal with experience with assisted therapy ferrets
- Doctors and counselors with patients under their care who use
"therapy ferrets"
- Institutions that have benefited from therapy ferrets and/or
  visitations
- Animal experts (behaviorists, shelters, breeders, vets, vet techs,
  etc)
- Individuals who have dealt with ferrets as --
- Service animals (a ferret whom performs a task to aid a disabled
  person)
- Assisted animal therapy (a ferret who has a fundamental role of some
  sort in the treatment of someone)
- Visitation animals (ferrets who visit an establishment, such as a
  nursing home, regularly and who benefits it's occupants)
- Emotional support animals (a ferret who is needed for psychological
  reasons for a disabled person to function)
- and Ferrets who have been hugely therapeutic in the home (anecdotes
  of ferrets who have helped people with diagnosed depression, and
  other serious health problems)
- ... And goodness who knows who/what else I'm leaving out.

Give me a shout at [log in to unmask] if you'd like to particpate or if
you can help put me in contact with relevant sources and contacts.

Please cross-post and foward this on.

Rebecca Stout

[Posted in FML 7025]