In response to Roger McMillians posting on 12/22.  UFO (Bruce Dean White) is
not the ONLY person in MA to legally own ferrets.
 
The way the law was existing before the passage of House Bill 295, if you
could prove to Fish and Wildlife that you would be using your ferret for
"educational" purposes, you could obtain a permit to own a ferret.  We had
many, many people call F & W trying to obtain these permits and were denied.
MIT also has many ferrets there.
 
Some of the sites where ferrets are being "kept for educational purposes"
are: The Stone Zoo, The Worcester Science Center, New England Alive (Petting
Zoo) and many others.
 
In regards to Mr.  White.  I know he was contacted several times by the Mass
Friends Group to see if he could lend a hand.  He did publish in his
newsletter the progression of HB295.  What I'm lead to believe is that after
a 12 year struggle, he as well as others were "burned out".  Honestly, I
don't blame him or the others now that I personally know what it is like.
It is really too bad because the difference this year was that unlike past
years, the owners were very outspoken and we had the backing of Fish and
Wildlife.
 
There were many, many different groups, people and factions that all worked
together for one goal,  to legalize ferrets in MA.
 
Ferrets will not be "legal" until March 7, 1996.  Within these 90 days, we
have a lot of work to do.  The "easy" part was getting "legal".  Now the
hard part begins.......
[Posted in FML issue 1421]