Well all, I'm just sitting here reflecting on all the hard work we've done,
drinking coffee from my navy blue "Adler Online" coffee cup.  (Eat your
hearts out).  Reading the Boston Globe article and saying to myself "Yes
indeed, I know I've done everything I can do to get this law changed".
 
I feel good that I am finally satisfied.  If Gov Weld decides NOT to sign
the bill and vetoes it, well, looks like I'll just be spending a lot of time
camped out in front of this hosue in Cambridge.
 
The main reason I got involved in this project was last February I got a
call from a woman whos ferret had "bit a neighbors kid".  Although this
child along with all the others who played with her kids were instructed not
to go into the "ferret" room, he talked her son into letting him in there.
Well the best she could figure out is that the boy got a scratch on his
foot.  She thinks that he may have stepped on the ferret.  She received a
call from her local Dog Officer who threatened her with a jail sentence,
huge fines, and if the child had to take the rabies antidote, brain damage.
Well she panicked and rushed Newt and Newton to the local Veterinarian who
euthanized them, took off their heads.  SHE took their heads into the State
Lab in Jamaica Plain for rabies testing.  For those of you who do not know,
the only way an animal can be tested for rabies is to keep the brain intact.
I don't know about you all, but I know I would not have been able to do
this.  Course, they came out negative since the only two times they'd been
out of the house was to go to MAINE for their rabies/distemper shots and
were up to date.
 
After this ordeal, she did some checking at the local district court.  Well,
after finding out all there was legally, this Dog Officer had totally
misinformed her.  It was at this point she found my name and number and got
in touch with me.  At the time, there was a counties hearing scheduled for
House Bill 295.
 
I vowed to this woman and everyone else in this state that I'd do everything
within my power to get this bill passed into law so no one else would have
to go through what this woman did with their babies.  I, just like thousands
of other Mass residents, thought ferrets were legal.  I remember in 1991
getting a letter from Public Health stating that ferrets were becoming
legal.  What a rude awakening.
 
It was at this time that the Mass Friends of the Domestic Ferret Group
started.  I was put in touch with Bill W. thru Dick Bossart and we had a
meeting at Bill and Susies house one evening.  Course, he had three others
there, all of us were a bit nervous in the beginning, they weren't sure if I
was Fish and Game, I wasn't sure if it was a trap. (Paranoid group ferret
people).  I remember saying to them, so wheres your fuzzies?  Once I met
Rocky and Squeekers, it was love at first sight.  This group has snowballed
into a STATE wide organization.
 
Well, anyway, enough reflecting.  Back to the present....I want to again
THANK everyone who came out yesterday to the rally.  By showing up and
taking time out of your busy day, we showed the Governor that there is going
to be a big group of "Pissed Off" people if he doesn't sign the bill.  Sorry
for the last minute plans for this.  Remember TIMING is everything.  We were
told that this would have been the best opportunity to do this (seize the
day).
 
The reasoning behind it was that the Governor has had only one bit of
negativity to the amended bill from the MSPCA.  The pet store lobbyist was
doing what he needed to do.  The Fish and Wildlife advised the Gov. to sign
the bill.  Although we were making our calls, faxes and e-mail daily, the
Governor needed a "presence" at the State House to show we were indeed a
real group of people and we VOTE.
 
I was quite impressed when "Charles" his aide came out to greet us.
Everyone, you should be proud of this fact.  Every day there is some sort of
rally or something going on at the State House.  To get the Governors Aide
out there was a great thing.
 
Also, a staff member from Senator Durand came out to greet us.  He requested
that the Senator would love an Outlaw T-shirt.  We'll work on that for him.
 
Last but not least, RAISINS AND FERRETONE to Chuck Adler, Channel 68, WRKO,
and Bob Katzen.  They do not know how much it means to me to have them take
a stand along with the other Ferret Freedom Fighters.  Thanks so much to you
and all you've done to help us get our word out.
 
I've had many experiences in my life, met people all across this country
when I toured with a drum corps as a young woman, met people I would have
given up my life to save theirs when I served in the Army National Guard,
the "animal rights" advocates I came to know as an Animal Control
Officer/Animal Inspector.  Even the good people I come across now in my
business travels as a Pet Sitter/Groomer.  None of them compare to the
Ferret People I've met.
 
You people are truely unique.  The love and kindness you have for these
animals is just great.  Whenever we as a group needed something done, it was
done.  No questions asked, just done.  My hats off to you and I honor every
one of you.
 
Thanks again, dook, dook, dook, For the Ferrets,
 
Sharon
[Posted in FML issue 1405]