The domestic ferret has been banned in New Zealand - on the pretext that
banning the domestic ferret will (a) reduce the incidence of TB in the
population of the feral ferret and (b) prevent stoats killing 20,000
endangered Kiwi chicks each year.  if the ban seems draconian and the
reasoning imaginative (to say the least), read on ...
 
If you have seen and enjoyed the wonderful film "Loerd of the Rings" and
made it your ambition to go and see if that scenery really does exist (IT
DOES!  AND MORE!), read on ...
 
This ban was sprung upon us the day before the Easter break.  I was
totally shocked 5 minutes after arriving at work to be phoned by the
newspaper and asked to quote about a matter I knew NOTHING about other
than that it was the subject of discussion.  Instead the bill seems to
have been 'rubber stamped' and is just awaiting final acceptance in a
few weeks.
 
SO WE DON'T HAVE LONG TO TAKE ACTION!
 
I wonder if the Government thought "Oh, we'll slip this in before Easter,
ferret keepers are old men or remote back-country bush people..." If that
was their thought, we have to teach them differently!
 
Please go to the website of the New Zealand Ferret Protection and Welfare
Society : www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/9074/
or just do a search under the words 'ferret paws' on Google.
 
Letters saying that you have changed your vacation plans, or in some other
way are going to withhold your valuable US $ from the weak NZ economy
would help, I am sure.
 
The Minister of Tourism is Hon. Mark Burton;
snail mail to c/- Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
 
Associate Minister of Tourism
Hon Parekura Horomia
Mail: same place
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
 
Thank you for helping to save the domestic ferret in New Zealand
 
Sheena
[Posted in FML issue 3738]