Hi and Dooka-dook to all the fuzzbutts !!
 
Well, when you think no one is really listening.  I guess my roomie must
have heard me moaning and complaining when I read the latest "Anti-Ferret
Hysteria" that had been posted.  Naturally, when he asked what upset me so,
I went into a fervant dialogue ;).
 
I told him about the NYC incident and the "unsolicited opinion" of the one
vet involved.  He actually read the post as well.  Well, the following is a
letter that he typed afterwards, and is reprinted here with his permission.
 
Kevin B and the Way Kewl Critter Crew
Featuring the ~~~Terrific~~~Tumultous~~~Twelve~~~
~Furrice~Simon~Lacey~Hershey~Sprite~Socks~Cuddles~Java~Rascal (formerly
Caesar)~Miss Priss (formerly Pimp)~Cinna~Racer~
Guest STAR - ~Fur-Angel Lady~
Cast Appearance by - Geordi the Min-Pin
Missing our friends - Kimo the Sumo Cat (and Honorary Fert), Jada the
Min-Pin,
and fellow ferts ~Petey~, ~Nibbler~, ~Max~, and ~Romeo~
Saying "Hey!" to ~Pandora~, ~Noser~ and the rest of the Tennessee Brat
Pack !!
 
 -------
 
Families of Ferrets:
 
I know virtually nothing about ferrets.  What little I know comes from my
roommate and his pack of 12.  I am a dog lover and have been surrounded by
them most of my life.  My currently best friend is Geordi, a 7 year old
male minature pincher.
 
I have heard much hoopla over the past few months with the ban in Cali and
NYC and I would like to add my voice to yours.  I fought against Oregon's
"dangerous dog" legislation and number of years ago, for the same reason
that ferret lovers are fighting these bans now.  It is all based on
sensationalism, a few select persons with a bunch of initials after their
names, and isolated instances completely distorted and taken out of
context.
 
Up until I got Geordi, most of my dog's were Doberman Pincher's (yes, this
was one of the dogs slated to be deemed a dangerous dog, but then again, so
were labrador retrievers).  Min-pins, like all 10 lbs of my Geordi, have a
checkered reputation as well.  It is a breed, not for all persons.  They
are fiercely loyal and protective and can and do bite, generally when their
masters are uneducated, uninformed and ill prepared to deal with a dog that
although small, is high energy and aggressive.  As small as they are, they
are working dogs, developed and bred to fend for themselves and protect
their master's territory and their master.  Most literature have named them
"Little Mightyness".
 
I got Geordi at 11 weeks old, while I was involved in property management.
He was socialized with my young children, the young children of my
residents and just people in general.  Geordi was also socialized with
other animals.  He has all his protective and territorial instincts intact
(just ask my roomate), yet he is gentle with other animals, people and
children.  He is that way because, I set out from his earliest days with me
to teach him to be that way.  I am proud of him and despite the reputation
of the bred for their moodiness, aggressivness, tendancy to nip and bite,
he is a true member of my family.
 
This brings me back to ferrets.  I watch my roommate with his brood.  He
plays with them, corrects them with compassion, yet he is stern.  I've been
nipped a few times but the ferrets seemed more upset by it than I was.
Geordi occaisionally plays with one or two of the ferrets, both species
seem to enjoy their play time.
 
Geordi even became best friends with one of my roommate's ferrets, Lady.
She was an older lass when he got her.  Perhaps because of her age or just
her general dispostion, Geordi loved to play with her.  About a year ago
she became ill.  When she was lethargic and it looked as if, this was the
day she would "cross over", Geordi would go to her and some how, she was
able to get up and play a little more.  One day Geordi could not longer get
his friend up to play and she crossed over.  Geordi, myself and especially
my roommate mourned her passing.  This story is important when you realize,
that min-pin's were bred to instinctively attack weasles, gophers and
rodents in their lairs.  I have seen Geordi attack and kill field mice that
infested an apartment I once lived in, yet, he played with Lady every day,
he didn't hurt her, nor did she hurt him.
 
What this all comes down to is RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.  It doesn't matter
the species or the bred.  All can be aggressive and vicious, all can be
loving and gentle.  Its up to the individual owner to learn about their
animals, what their natural instinct are and teach them what they need to
know.  When I was 7 years old, our dacshund tore my face open and I had to
have three stitches to close it up.  If I stopped there, you might think,
well this is like the ferret in Canada, that attacked a baby.  Like the
ferret in Canada, there is more to the story.  I was rough housing with the
dog and injured it, seriously enough, that it had to be taken to the Vet
for treatment.  My parents took care of the dog and set about teaching me
what responsibility was as it relates to pets.
 
Don't give up and make your legislative officials responsible.  Don't settle
for the half truths (from what my roommate tells me you never will) and add
my voice to yours.  I oppose legislation that restricts responsible pet
ownership and although I do not choose to have a ferret as my pet, I will
fight as strong as you to protect your rights.
 
As I said at the outset, I know little if anything about ferrets.  What I can
say is that I've never seen a vicious one yet and my roommate delights in
rescuing them.  He brings them home in all sorts of conditons from
malnurished, to injured and ill.  He loves them, treats them like little
princes and princesses and he teaches them.
 
Folks, for what its worth.  My support and salutes in your fight.
 
Sincerely,
 
Kevin F. Sweeney,
[Posted in FML issue 2757]