To Rudy the ferlosopher...
 
Could you please e-mail me privately your home mailing address - I used a
posting of yours in my last issue of STAR* Ferrets and want to send you a
copy.
 
Re comment on your concern about if/when ferrets become legalized in MA and
CA, the paranoia of people calling in rashes of bite incidents...  it hasn't
happened.  People who own ferrets when they are legalized still have a BIG
job ahead of them and educate the public before the law could be recended
due to stupidity.  People who are bitten by their own animals "know" they
don't have rabies, so don't report the incident, but sometimes give up the
animal.  MI has had only a few bite incidents and they are mainly due to
people getting ferrets from a fur farm source (mink farmers gone to ferret
breeding due to the fur industry drying up).  There will always be the fear
of seizure if your ferret bites someone, until the rabies shed study is
complete (the first phase is complete and we hopfully will know the results
in October.), even in states where ferrets have always been legal.
EDUCATION is so important.  THAT is why we need to keep up at the HSUS and
CBS:
 
PLEASE complain to the HSUS about their very one sided anti-ferret campaign
which was aired on CBS on 5/31/95.
Write to:
 
Paul Irwin, executive director
(e-mail:  [log in to unmask])
Rachel Lamb, companion animals
(e-mail:  [log in to unmask])
Humane Society of the United States
2100 L Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037
tel 202-452-1100
fax 202-778-6132
 
Ask about dog bite and dog related death reports.
Ask about where the parents of that child were at the time of the "attack" on
the infant.
Ask how a "humane" society can single out a specific pet, to be
descriminating against ferrets, when they have so few rabid cases (15 since
1958).
The only animal with less of a biting problem than ferrets are guinie pigs.
Tell your good stories,
Let the HSUS know that they will not be receiving a contribution from you
until they change to a positive position on ferrets.
Send them photos with ferrets and children and babies
Send photos of ferrets playing with other pets.
 
SEND LOTS OF LETTERS!!!!
MAKE LOTS OF CALLS!!!
MAKE THEIR FAX MACHINE RUN OUT OF PAPER!!!!
LET THE HSUS KNOW THAT THERE ARE 1110+ UPSET PEOPLE OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Also, don't forget to tell CBS just what you think of their "journalism".
 
Hattie Kauffman, reporter
Andy Jones, segment producer
Ingrid Cipriani-Matthes, senior producer
CBS This Morning
CBS Broadcast Center
524 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
tel. 212-975-2824
fax 212-925-2115
 
Thank you for your support.
 
Pam Grant
STAR* Ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1217]