Kymberlye Becker,
 
You wrote in asking about getting a signed release from anyone entering her
shelter in the event of a nip.  I am no attorney, but my understanding of
the law is that one cannot sign away liability in any form.  What this means
is that your signed doccument stating that the individual waives the right
to inform animal control, public health or any other official agency is just
so much wasted paper.  Signed consent form or no, the state can and probably
will simply come in and confiscate and kill not only the ferret who did the
biting but very possibly all the ferrets under your protection on the
grounds that there is no way to be certain they got the right ferret.  The
only safety any of us have is to GET THE LAWS CHANGED BEFORE IT IS TOO
LATE!!!
 
                   Tommy of The FerretForest
[Posted in FML issue 1959]