Hello all! My husband Len and I have been around since issue 50 or 60,
but I rarely post anything. Since we've lived in Ohio for years, I had
to say there IS a definite possibility of all Ohio becoming a FFZ. While
Ohio allows each county/city to make laws pertaining to ferrets, they refer
Qs to a few people who hold the firm and unshakeable opinion that ferrets
are wild and should only be kept by people with specialized degrees/skills
   One of the worst offenders is Jack Hanna, Mr. Jungle himself. You can
tell I'm so very fond of him. He's director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo
and a popular guest on talk-shows, etc. On many occasions I have read about
and heard, stated that ferrets are wild/exotic, no one who isn't an expert
should own one. According to a Zoo spokesperson, he supports laws to ban them
as pets and states they aren't safe and are difficult to keep, as they need
their "natural habitat". Yeah, well my fuzzies blow razzberries at the tv
when he comes on, cause they love their towels, hammock, and raisins. Try
telling my four they can't have them and you just might get lynched!
   We called the zoo after one of these episodes on the local news and tried
to complain, and were told the "gent" we were speaking to had a ferret himself
(wonder if HE lives in Columbus too?) and there wasn't a rabies vaccine made
for ferrets, and even distemper shots had to be the feline variety as ferret
vaccines aren't made....ARGH. Rest assured he got an earful-and-a-half, plus
the names and numbers of 5 vets in the area to back us up.
We live in Franklin Co. now, and when I called the Health Dept, they said
they were no longer (??!!??) interested in coming after ferrets unless there
was a noise, health, or bite complaint turned in. We don't entirely trust it.
  We'd love to hear from folks near here, wasnt there someone in Delaware, oh?
that's just a couple miles north of us.
   Anyway, that's probably my post (and soapbox stand) for the year!!
love from,
 
Marya (the mommy)
Len/Hawkwind (the daddy)
and all the babies: Zach-the-brand-new-human, Molly (grande dame fuzzie)
Emma (the enforcer fuzzie!), Grover and Boo-Boo (fuzz-brothers-in-crime).
and Herbie, the long-lived Khuli Loach (who hates swimming ferrets)
[Posted in FML issue 1160]