Some folk in the USA wanted to know the outcome of Foster's Bill to ban
Hunting with Dogs.  As many of you already know 300,000 marched through the
streets of London to show their disgust with the whole affair.  Foster has
given up the fight but a number of misguided MP's say that they are going
to continue to try to ruin the British Countryside, including the MP for
the area of Bolton that I live in, he hasn't got a clue.
 
What's this got to do with ferrets you may ask?  Well it's got a lot to do
with ferrets in the UK - it's just a short step from banning hunting with
dogs to banning hunting with ferrets, raptors etc.  A lot of ferrets over
here just use their animals for hunting - the ferret has to earn its keep
i.e. it has to be efficient at bolting rabbits.  The ferret population went
down in the UK when myxamatosis first hit the UK in 1953, only about half a
dozen people kept their working stock.
 
This week a single has just been released in the UK "Guardian of the Land"
by George Bowyer - it brings back the atmosphere of the Countryside Rally
and Countryside March.  I bought the CD today, it is brilliant, it really
explains just what would happen to the British countryside if hunting was
banned.  The artists' royalties are being donated to an educational trust
for the countryside.  To all UK FMLer's if you haven't already bought the
CD please do so this week, let's get it in the top twenty - knock the Spice
Girls off their perch!
 
Soon be time to go hunting - roll on the beginning of September!  Kurt is
getting excited at the prospect of exploring rabbit buries however, he
needs a new partner, Deanna Troi is no longer with me, I'm thinking that
Scrap might be a good working jill.
 
I updated Bolton F.W. pages a couple of days ago, I've added more photos
of my gang. The new ones were taken at Brecon by another FMLer, Ulrike.
 
Sheila
Bolton Ferret Welfare & National Ferret Welfare Society Newsletter Editor
http://www.btinternet.com/~sheila/ferrets.htm (Last Update 7 Aug, 1998)
Waiting at Rainbow Bridge: Jill, Deanna Troi, Cameron & Carnath
[Posted in FML issue 2398]