The Loudoun Area Ferret Fanciers has this situation more or less under
control.  The county government is not out to get ferrets, not out to get
'vicious' animals per se either.  The perceived problem in fact is Wolves
and Wolf-hybrids.  Vivkie McKimmey (life-long county resident and
employee for the past bunch of years) is handling most of the needed
ferret business.  At this weeks "Animal Advisory Commitee" meeting she
was the only speaker.  She has a good working relationship with the chair
of the committee and will continue to attend along with other LAFF
members all future meetings.  She (mentioned in a previous FML though not
by name) has provided all members of this committee with good solid
information.  She has pictures of my baby and 6 year old sprite for
'cuteness' and emotional impact as well.
 
The only problem with the proposed ordinance is that it doesn't
specifically list ferrets in a list of domestic species not covered.  It
doesn;t list them in the list of species specifically covered either.  The
statement in the ordinance is "Those species and subspecies of animals not
naturally occuring in Virginia, excluding domestic and naturalized
species".  All LAFF is trying to do is make sure that the county puts
ferrets into the domestic category as defined by the US and Virginia.
Vickie is cautiously optimistic.  Her speech was well received and the
committee members complimented her on her professional demeanor.  She is
faxing the text of her comments and an article she wrote for the American
Ferret Review (AFA) and I will post some of that tomorrow night (no
copyright problem Bill).
 
There is only one person with a negative attitude on ferrets - Barbara
Cassidy administrator of the county's Department of Animal Control.  She
is an "import" from Washington DC which is an FFZ.  Hopefully the county
will listen to county residents before blindly following a recent
"immigrant".
 
LAFF in order to best protect domestic ferrets is avoiding allying itself
with those whose primary interest is the Wolf anf Wolf-hybrid.  The Wolf
is NOT a domestic species.  I would be concerned about too many wolves
and hybrids showing up as 'family' pets.
 
There was a case where a dog (husky mix if I remember correctly) was
seized and put down for being a wolf hybrid though it was not but no
ferret incidents have occured.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1233]