Hi,
 
        Someone asked about ferrets and "no pets" leases. I thought
that I might share my experience with everyone. I live up in Ontario,
Canada, where we have the "fluffy" clause in our landlord and tenant
act. It came into being after an old lady was evicted from her
apartment because she had a cat. The courts decided that it was
unlawful and the government added a clause that said any domestic
animal may be kept by a tenant so long as it did ot interfere with
the enjoyment of the premis by the other tenants.
 
        Here is my story. Paul and I moved into an apartment that had
_NO PETS_  written in bold. However, our super forgot to ask for the
lease and after a month we tore it up, so we do not have a written
contract and therefore the no pets does not apply. (The contract was
illegal anyway for other reasons.) So we got our two guys from the
ferret association. and despite our efforts our super found out about
them after two weeks because she had work to do in the apartment. She
told me that they weren't allowed and I said that the people across
the hall had a cat. " Oh, cats are okay, but ferrets are not allowed
because-" she didn't finish she just went into how I should keep eggs
away from them because they steal eggs. Ah, the bliss of ignorance.
So thinking we had a fight on our hands we went to legal aid and the
Ottawa Ferret Association gave us literature backing up our argument
that they were domestic animals. Canada considers ferrets domestic as
a matter of law. (Can't see wild animals in a pet store now could
you?)
 
        A few days later she came to the apt. while they were out and
she flipped when I opened the door and scooped up Adhemar who had
come to answer the door too. She started screaming (picture the
cartoon where a woman is on a stool because she saw a mouse) and then
paniced, "Put it in the cage! Put it in the cage! I'm not coming in
till you put it in the Cage!" I tried to get her to just come in so I
could close the door so my other guy wouldn't get out, but she just
stood there with the door wide open. (In retrospect, I should have
closed it in her face.) Luckily, Idefix was more interested in why I
was at his cage than the door so I manages to get him in with Adhemar
no problem.  Our super is just a little strange. She calls them
"bebetes". (Quebecios for insect.-and Stinkey, Brandy and Rascal
thought Rat was bad!)
 
        Luckily for us they have not had the chance to have a real
break out of our apartment and since they can't bark and _don't
smell_  no one knows we have ferrets on our floor (except the few
enlightened people.) Just today, our super after months said that she
thought our ferrets were cuter than the "big dog", but the dog didn't
give her the willies like our guys do. I guess it's progress...
        Anyways, she's begining to come around, at least she limits
herself to bebetes and not weasel like she did before. She once told
me that she was afraid they woul attack her. I replied, "We've just
taught them how to play, we haven't trained them to do that yet."
 
        I'm sorry this was so long, but I thought that you would
enjoy a story where ferrets triumph over supers and landlords and
actually have protection under the law, for a change of pace.
 
Toodles! From the Great White North!
Kathy- the treat vending machine
Paul- who leaves his jacket lying on the couch so that Idefix can
 
      take everything out of his pockets and stash them in the couch.
Idefix- who during our cold spell, of his own free-will decided to
 
      sleep in the cage other than in the couch because our apartment
 
      was too dang cold not to have blankets!
Adhemar- who does not take kindly to being knocked over while he's on
      his hind feet trying to get something off the coffee table.
[Posted in FML issue 1101]