Regardless of whether you think that it's unsanitary for a ferret to be in
a restaurant, health codes say that it is.  Other diners will say that it
is unsanitary.  Would you really like to cause such a scene just because
you wanted your ferret to sit with you while you eat?  Can you picture
someone finding out that you have a ferret in the restaurant (sure, it
might not happen the first 200 times you bring him in, but it will
eventually)?  Customers becoming very angry at the "unsanitary" conditions?
The owners of the restaurant forbidding you to dine there again because you
violated health codes?  Is it really worth it?
 
The point was made to me in an email that if it's a choice between bringing
the ferret in a restaurant or leaving him loose in the car, the obvious
choice is bring him in.  That's wrong, the obvious choice is to bring a
cage so he will be safe, or don't bring him along.
 
Sure, you might all say "Oh, that will never happen to me.  You will never
know my ferret is there.  I will never be distracted by my ferret while
driving."  This is a personal fable and not true.  Tell that to the nosy
little five year old who notices everything.  Tell that to the people that
get in car accidents and die because of stupid distractions.
 
A year ago an 11 year old boy in my sister's class was killed because a
woman bent over to pick up a cassette tape from the floor and crashed into
the car he was in.
 
Did she think she would get in an accident?  Did she think she would kill
someone?  Of course not.  Horrible things happen, and just because you love
your ferrets being free and with you does not mean that it won't happen to
you.
 
Rachel
[Posted in FML issue 3036]