As of Jan 1:st, we now have clear rules here in Sweden regarding what kinds
of animals are "pets" and not.  Carnivores are not to be pets, with four
exceptions: Dogs, cats, ferrets and badgers.  And the relevent authorities
are about to reconsider the last mentioned (not that I think anyone actually
has them as pets, but rather to train hunting dogs -- in a way they don't
get into contact with each other).
 
As we've got polecats here, this cannot be used as an argument when someone
wants to prohibit ferrets from an ecological protection standpoint (nor do
we have any rabies -- not that that can matter).  But as the bureau wanted
to drastically reduce the number of species kept as pets, and did, and there
was never any question of prohibiting ferrets, it can in other regards.
 
On the home front things are generally well with my ferrets.
 
Apart from Roskva still don't living with me and having started to attack
strange ferrets.
 
And poor Alison who's getting more and more pear shaped.  She's rather
heavy, but thin around the ribs.  But as long as she eats well and is alert
when awake I'll let her continue as she is.  The fights with the others
seems to have mostly stopped now and they sometimes join her when she's
asleep -- although she aviods them all.  It's a good thing she doesn't
understand why she now can have lots of chocolate.
--
 Urban Fredriksson  [log in to unmask] http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/
 http://www.alfaskop.net/%7Egriffon/ferrets/
[Posted in FML issue 2175]