to:    Cindy Roberts
Subject: History of Ferrets in the USA
 
>Does this fit in with ferret history in the USA?  When did ferrets (and
>hunting with them) start becoming illegal and how many states eventually
>had laws outlawing ferrets?  When did this start turning back around and
>what were the reasons?  In the US, is keeping ferrets strictly as companion
>animals relatively new in their long history?
 
Ferrets came to the US on ships sailing from the old country as ratters
(Mayflower may just have had them!).  They were employed as working animals
for keeping rodents at bay and for hunting rabbits, and were so popular at
one time for this purpose, an entire town in Ohio, New London, in 1915 was
called "Ferretville".
 
Chemicals for killing vermin and state laws banning ferrets for hunting put
a real damper on things, and most ferrets were then bred for laboratory
research from the 1940's until now.  The 1970's brought a small resurgence
of ferrets as pets, and a "fad" was started in the 80's, which has not
stayed a fad at all but incorporated the ferret into pet status only third
to dogs and cats.  Most ferret people you meet who have more than the
average three for pets have been owners for 5-10 years.  There are those
on-line who have had ferrets for as long as 15 years.
 
An interesting history of the ferret is included in Fara Shimbo's "the
Ferret Book", published in 1984 in desk top published format.  It is out of
print, but I have a "spare" copy that I'm happy to "loan" for the inclusion
of a $3.00 stamp.
 
One at a time please.....
 
Pam
[Posted in FML issue 1439]