This is a letter that was printed in a large well read paper in a city
near me, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.  It was in response to a letter
written a few days earlier by a Laurie Clarke asking city council to
reconsider their ban of ferrets.[ Ferrets are illegal in Windsor]
 
I feel our beloved fuzzy friends need defending and am asking you
to write a letter to the editor.  To respond to this letter, e-mail
letters to:
 
[log in to unmask]
 
Letter should be no more than 300 words and must include your full name
and address and daytime phone number.
 
I am typing this letter since I do not know any other way to post it
here.  If anyone wants to see a copy from the paper, please e-mail me and
I will pass it on to you.  Thank you for your help.  Inge
 
 _______________________________________________________________________
 
 
Bylaw on ferrets must not be changed
 
Re:Ferret Owner Says Bylaw Outdated, June 14.The writer of the letter,
Laurie Clarke, stated that the persons who made the city bylaw are
ignorant of the facts on ferrets.  In fact it is Laurie Clarke who is
ignorant.  The bylaw was enacted for the protection of our citizens.
 
Documented information was provided to city council showing ferrets had
been responsible for several cases of helpless infants being killed in
their cribs by the family pet ferret.  Also, there are cases where small
children needed plastic surgery to correct facial damage caused by
ferrets in the home.
 
The vaccine to prevent rabies in dogs does not work for ferrets, nor the
vaccine for cats.  There were reported incidents of people buying ferrets
from pet shops that were later found to have rabies.
 
At the time of the council hearings,our Windsor humane society manager
stated that they had received quite a few reports of ferret bites.
 
There is also the danger ferrets pose if they escape from their human
homes, and quite a few have.  It was widely believed that this wouldn't
be a problem as it was thought they would not survive our winters
outdoors.  There were reports from Scotland and other countries with
similar climates as ours, where ferrets have not only survived but have
multiplied their numbers to the point where they are destroying native
wildlife.
 
Ferrets are not a good choice for a family pet, and are most definitely
dangerous around children.  I would hope city council would not reopen
this issue and would further enforce the bylaw by not allowing ferret
owners in Windsor to advertise ferrets for sale in the paper.
 
Noreen Gehl
Windsor
[Posted in FML issue 4919]