California FML Readers: Heard form Jeanne today and got very painful news
for everyone.  The California Health Department's committee which was
studying the 1998 Compendium and the quarantine issue apparently caved in
to that state's F&G.  The document allows the "possibility of a 14 day
quarantine" with the final decision being up to the local health officials,
and the document is written in a way which places more emphasis of killing
ferrets as opposed to the way it's writen for cats or dogs.  I am sure this
is a disappointment to some folks in the Health Dept.  as well as to ALL
ferret people because I had heard from some that they were looking forward
to seeing a choice based upon LOGIC and EVIDENCE, and I know that Charles
Rupprect of the CDC actually went out there to discuss the thoroughness of
the studies with them.  The upshot is that California is once more out there
in left field compared with the other states (the vast majority of them)
which have made their decisions already, and the California choice wound up
being based upon politics rather than science.
 
Since the final choice is up to the locals it is now especially important
that ferret people in California EDUCATE their local health departments,
local shelters, local physicians, local vets, and local media.  You already
know that the Compendium is available from STAR Ferrets, the AVMA site, AFA,
etc., and that both Troy Lynn and I have compliance documents.  IT'S UP TO
YOU NOW!!!!!!
 
Don't wait till the last minute!!!!!!!!!!  The ferrets you could save if you
educate may very well be YOUR OWN FURRIES!!!!!!
 
Remember, you can find ways to get this data out anonymously.  Heck, if you
want to order the compliance documents (I have maybe a dozen bundles left.)
I will only charge you $7, somewhat less than my costs for shipping and
copying, to send them directly to your local departments so that you won't
be known by them at all, and to send you the receipt from the post office if
you choose to give me your home address.  If you want it sent a more
expensive way (certified or registered to force them to take more notice of
it) then I'm not yet sure what the shipping will run.  Normally it's $4
Priority Mail and weighs something in the range of 2 #.
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2297]