Illinois people (and everyone else too) are urgently needed to get involved
with shutting down the ferret/pot bellied pig breeding operation of Rick
Robbins, Granite City, IL. (If you know anyone in Illinois, **please** pass
this info on to them--cat, dog, pot bellied pig people as well as ferret
people).
Jackie H found out the following info:
Robbins applied for and received a "fur brearing breeders permit" March 12,
1993. All that is required is for him to send in $20.00 each year to renew
his license from the Department of Natural Resourses under the Wild Game and
Bird Feeders code, Class B license. He said ferrets are listed as *wild
animals*!
...IF enough letters (from IL people) are sent with complaints re: Rick
Robbins, NOT a petition which are disregarded, they would be able to not
renew his license.
The address is:
Department of Natural Resources
Division of Wildlife Resources
Attn: Ann Hill
524 So. 2nd Street
Lincoln Tower Plaza
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 782-6384
It might be helpful if someone close to Granite City could actually visit
this breeder and see how the conditions are now, check out the temp in the
building, etc...and make another complaint if necessary and keep making
complaints!
Also, this is the letter from Kathy Fritz, director of the Ferret Nook
Shelter, with contact info for everyone (not just Illinois people).
SHELTER DIRECTOR CALLS FOR NATIONAL FAX-IN CAMPAIGN
By Kathy Fritz, Director, The Ferret Nook Shelter
The State of Illinois has done it again! Dr. David R. Bromwell, Head
Veterinarian for the Department of Agriculture passed Mr. Rick Robbins'
premises inspection on Monday, August 25, 1997.
Dr. Bromwell passed the inspection even though, as he stated to Howard Davis
in their phone conversation today, that the conditions the ferrets are kept
in, "aren't up to the standards for cats and dogs." I'm sorry, people, this
makes me very, very angry! The state of Illinois is looking upon ferrets as
second-class citizens again. It's time we educate them!
I beg all people owned by these wonderful creatures to get busy faxing,
phoning, writing Governor Jim Edgar and Becky Doyle, Director of the
Department of Agriculture letting them know that the eyes of the ferret
community across the nation are on them and that we want fair and equal
treatment for these ferrets. Request that Dr. Bromwell reopen the case
against Mr. Rick Robbins. And also that Mr. Robbins should have to account
for the missing ferrets. If they are deceased, what did they die of? I
believe it's time for the State of Illinois to own up to this travesty.
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Write, fax, telephone, or email the Governor of Illinois and the Director of
the Department of Agriculture. Be polite but insist that the Robbins case
be re- opened and the premises be re-inspected by *impartial investigators.*
Governor Jim Edgar
207 Statehouse
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-0244 (Voice)
217-524-4049 (Fax)
[log in to unmask] (Email)
http://www.state.il.us/ (Website)
Becky Doyle, Director
Illinois Department of Agriculture
PO Box 19281
State Fairgrounds
Springfield, IL 62794-9281
217-782-2172 (Voice)
217-785-4505 (Fax)
Sample Letter, Fax, or Email:
IMPORTANT: ****(Note from Beth and Jackie - Please use your own words if
possible. Letters and faxes have to be handled so are less likely to be
ignored, and can be more powerful than e-mails. But do whatever you can -
every single thing you do is appreciated and needed.) *****
Dear Governor Edgar or Dear Director Doyle
I am appalled that the Illinois Bureau of Animal Welfare has given the green
light to commercial animal breeder Rick Robbins of Granite City, a repeat
offender, to continue maintaining dozens of ferrets and pot-bellied pigs in
filthy, inhumane conditions. Dr. Bromwell of the Bureau of Animal Welfare
concedes that the animals were still being housed in filthy cages from which
only "some of the fecal matter" had been removed. Dr. Bromwell admits the
ferrets were not being housed in a manner that would be acceptable for dogs
or cats - why then are those conditions supposed to be acceptable for
ferrets?
Given the fact that Robbins is a repeat offender, it is indefensible that
the Bureau of Animal Welfare should have allowed Robbins to get off the hook
simply by getting HIS OWN VETERINARIAN, Dr. Michael Firsching, to attest
that the animals are being "properly cared for."
This is a clear case of conflict of interest, on the veterinarian's part.
The Department of Agriculture should require the Bureau of Animal Welfare
to re-open the Robbins case immediately and send impartial, unbiased
investigators to inspect the premises. And Robbins should be required to
DOCUMENT what happened to the 140 ferrets who disappeared - and doubtless
died in the heat - between the time of first complaint was filed and the
day of the re-inspection.
Please give this matter your urgent attention.
Respectfully,
(Your name)
reprinted from: THE INDEPENDENT FERRET INFORMATION SERVICE
Publisher: Ann Davis Executive Editor: Howard Davis
[Posted in FML issue 2049]
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