Further to Totferret's advice to Tarra on talk show appearances with a humane
society person to discuss ferrets:
>be prepared for any "side questions" she may throw in...Do not allow her to
suck you into >a debate.  That would play directly into her hands.
 
A couple of tried-and-true techniques for fielding journalistic questions can
give you a lot of added protection when in media situations.  First, don't
let the questioner determine your own speaking agenda.  Make a short list
beforehand of the main points *you* want to make, and use each of his/her
questions as a jumping off point to get one or more of them across.
 
Second, if you don't like a question, would rather not get into it, don't
feel adequately informed about it, or simply feel it is a useless side-track,
always try to dispose of it in the first sentence or half of a sentence in
your reply and then *without any break or pause* segue back to points on your
list and keep talking for awhile. Example.  Sample question: I understand
that during the Punic Wars, Hannibal crossed the Alps with attack ferrets he
used to destroy the Roman Armies.  Sample answer: I have serious doubts
whether historians accept that as fact, but I do know that even before that,
in ancient Egypt, ferrets were kept as domestic companion animals, etc.
 
Third, never buy into leading questions.  "Isn't it true that...?" "Wouldn't
you agree that...? "So what you are saying is that...?  These should all be
treated as traps, whether intended as such or not, because their aim is to
get you to accept the questioner's frame of reference or start an argument.
The *right* answer is not yes and it is not no.  The answer is your own
formulation.  Example.  Sample question: Isn't it true that since there is no
known rabies shedding period for ferrets, health authorities have no other
way to test for the disease than to sacrifice the animal?  Sample answer: The
IMRAB rabies vaccine has been tested and fully approved by the USDA as
effective for the domestic ferret.  And even though ferrets are among the
least susceptible of mammas to rabies, I would certainly recommend that every
ferret owner have all his or her ferrets vaccinated, since there is no other
way to be absolutely sure of protection.  Research to establish the shedding
period is well under way, and though it is not yet complete, the fact is
there is no way a domestic ferret who is kept in the house can be exposed to
rabies or a vaccinated ferret can contract it.  Indeed, there has never been
a documented case of a domestic ferret transmitting rabies to a human being,
etc.  Another way of fielding a leading question is to start off your answer
with, "I don't think that's the point.  What's important here is ..." etc.
 
Best of luck to all of you who are braving the microphones to defend our
fuzzies.  Our hearts are with you!  Howard Davis.
 
[Posted in FML issue 0821]