Bob writes:
 
>Lastly, I have been impressed with the FML membership.  Vets, biologists,
>archaeologists, teachers, and untold numbers of professionals read this
>lit-til thang...  Why don't we set up a list of tasks that need to be done,
>and let the readers volunteer to do it?
 
Sounds like a great idea.
 
>For example, we already have someone who has set up a name-registry; why
>not include some life data, assign the ferret a unique number that can be
>engraved on an id disk, and send out flyers to shelters and vets telling
>them to call if they find a lost ferret wearing such a disk.  Something
>like "Medic Alert".  It might prevent the needless killing of lost fuzzies,
>and it certainly would increase the awareness of ferrets.
 
Ah, now this could be a super thing, provided that we could get our fuzzits
to actually wear such a thing.  My Madeline wears a harness when we go out,
but not at home, because no matter what I do she squirms out of the darn
thing in  - even if it's tight! Just call her Houdini.  Now *there's* a good
name for a ferret!
 
I'd pay a yearly fee for such a registration system - anybody else?  Let's
see.  To set it up we'd need a dedicated phone line with an answering
machine, and a dedicated volunteer - at least.  The message on the answering
machine would tell callers when the volunteer will phone back, and it would
provide a bit of information on what to do with a ferret in the meantime.
(What sort of food, etc.) The phone message could also refer to a web page,
so that any computer-literate ferret-finders would be able to go to a
specific URL, enter the ferret's registration number, and find the owner
that way.  Anybody feel like doing some CGI scripts?
 
I'd like to hear everybody's response to this idea of Bob's.  Do we have the
people and the interest to make it work?
 
[Moderator's note: Have you considered just buying a tag for $3 and putting
your phone number on it?  BIG]
 
cmc
--
Christine Code                     We shall find peace.
Vancouver, CANADA                  We shall hear the angels,
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http://www2.portal.ca/~cmc         Sparkling with diamonds.   - Chekhov
[Posted in FML issue 1371]