Hello;
        Well, I've heard that the people proposing the center don't know what
they're doing, twice now.  This is not a flame thing, but I have to
communicate first hand knowledge, not hearsay, even from "trusted" people.
Carolyn, the person who provided the sole medical care for the Pueblo breeding
colony, from which the ferrets who were released last year, started with the
worst of the origional stock that was given to her from Wyoming. This was not
her choice, but what she was given.  She Has written the handbook on Black
Footed Ferret care for more than one zoo.  She also had increased the litters
of wild Chinese polecats that they work with from 3 per litter to 9, in only 3
years.
        Carolyn is part of the people of the Living Care center, and has
devoted many years of her life to the project.  Her only political fault is
caring too much to not want to see destroyed ferrets "past breeding age".
(Probably just like all of us who own domestic fuzzies)..  She was criticised
for naming the little ones.  Most of them had names when they got them from
zoos!
        The governments' own testemony to her competence is the fact that she
designed, built, and was the sole source of medical care for the breeding
colony, even though she's "only" a med tech.  (no disrespect to the profession
by me, only repeating what I've heard).  They had no DVM on staff at all!
        On a more positive note, I got an email from an employee of the
StarTribune of Minneapolis, the largest paper in that 5 state region who will
work to publicise.  An employee of Adobe, of pagemaker fame, contacted the
Sierra club & found they were un aware of the plight.
        A good tactic I'm told for the government people in the current
political climate is to voice concern over the waste of taxpayers $$$ and
these elder ferrets which are taxpayers PROPERTY should be used for
educational and public access enjoyment (which the living care center is fully
intending to do).
        I started this morning in severe depression as a week of 2,3,4am work
had only 2 responses thus far, but these and Chere's declaring the situation
an event equal to a natural disaster has helped a lot.  Thank you to
individuals who also given encouragement.  It felt like I was talking to empty
wind for quite awhile.
        This is an updated contact list including 800 and fax#'s for those
wishing to voice their opinion.
        Respectfully,  Gary H.
 
Interior Dept. Fraud, abuse & waste hot line: 800-424-5081, fax=703-235-9397
Bruce Babbitt, Sec. of the Interior, 202-208-7351, fax=202-208-6956
US Fish & Wildlife Service:  Miss Mollie Beattie, Director, USFWS, 1849 "C"
St. NW, Washington, DC 20240, Fax=202-208-6965;
Mr. Ralph Morgenweck, Director, Region 6, PO Box 25486, Denver Federal Center,
Denver CO 80225, FAX (303) 236-3815;
MR. Pete Gober, BFF coordinator for region 6, 605-224-8693  (the man in charge
of the proposed 6/1/95 release of the elder ferrets.
[Posted in FML issue 1204]