Hi all, I just finished catching up on the FML, and saw the post from HL
Russel to Hotdish regarding the "ferret-boa" incident.  Hotdish was
relating the story I told her.  Let me give you the details.
 
This occurred while I still lived in the East, and was finishing graduate
school.  I was working with several MD's doing research in one of the
university's animal labs.  I also worked with one of the vet's who
supervised the animal internal review board.  I am sure it is no surprise
to some of you that ferret's are used for research.  They are usually
obtained through a breeder (commercial or private).  Somehow, a university
student obtained a dark eyed white through means that were unethical (we
could never prove it, but the animals were watched much more closely after
that, and the breeder was turned into the animal IRB for investigation).
Having inside knowledge on where this ferret was, myself and another fellow
ferret lover paid a visit to this guy DRESSED IN OUR RESEARCH LAB COATS AND
SCRUBS and proceeded to "baffle him with Bull-----."  Believe me, we were
nervous, but he was a student (or much younger) than us, and we just
intimidated him enough to let us have the ferret.  Dave (my friend) was a
paramedic and was used to dealing with these kind of people (plus he had a
badge if we needed it).  I also believe this guy knew he obtained the
ferret illegally.  It was one of those 'you'll never guess what we did'
stories, and the ferret (who we named OREO) was adopted out to a great
home.  Many animals who are used for research purposes are cared for and
sometimes adopted by people who care for the lab.  On occasion, something
weird like this happens.  Ferrets, thank God, are too costly to feed to
snakes, but I guess the guy thought he was getting a free meal for his
snake.
 
Truth is stranger than fiction.
[Posted in FML issue 2811]