This week has been real quiet.  The current though is that the ranch will
not be shut down.  PETA made a big stink about the cruel way the mink
were put down - apparently the ranch owner used an insecticide/poison
injected into the chest of the animals.  It is expected the rancher will
get scolded officially for doing this.  The poison he used is no longer
available so he obviously can't use it anymore anyway.
 
The many ferret rescues and clubs that are monitoring the situation still
have contingency plans but do not expect to do anything.  The ferret
clubs most local to the ranch are not happy with the way it is run but
until something illegal is done that would cause the state to get
involved all they (and we) can do is sit back and disapprove.  I have not
seen the ranch personally as of this point - I may make a trip out to see
for myself what is going on.  Other ferret folks have gone out - or
planned to - and I will report here when I get word from them.
 
Thanks to everybody who has expressed concern.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1206]