The following is my personal signed letter sent today to Verizon Wireless
re: their current ad campaign.
 
For those who also wish to write the regional address is:
Verizon Wireless
Executive COrrespondence
133 Calkins Rd.
Rochester, NY 14623-9934
 
Alicia D.
 
>To Whom it may concern,
>
>I am writing in response to a current advertisement you are running for
>Verizon Wireless . This advertisement features a ferret and quite a
>poor ferret look alike at that.  While you may be a casual outsider
>and not involved with the 'ferret community" with a primary intent of
>entertainment , I am insulted by your choice of promotion.  I am and
>have been an educator and rehabilitation professional within the ferret
>sheltering community and animal welfare community for nearly ten years.
 
>Your advertisement is a slap in the face to the hurdles and educational
>progress people like myself have worked for in order to provide a better
>understanding of this unique companion animal.  The domesticated ferret
>has been victimized by media formats over and over again  has been
>persecuted by public officials who were lacking knowledge and
>understanding, and by you promoting a ferret biting a human tongue on
>media format which reaches millions of people each and every day, YOU,
>VERIZON WIRELESS , HAVE PERPETUATED a brutal insult and degradation to
>this companion animal.
>
>Your advertising campaign has projected exactly the myths and
>misunderstandings we educators have worked so hard to correct.  It is
>due to these types of satires and parody's, like your ferret comedy
>commercial , that ignorance still leaves the ferret illegal to own in
>California and New York City proper.  I ask you to immediately WITHDRAW
>this ad campaign and to offer an apology to the ferret community.  It is
>the least you can do.  Meanwhile you can bet your bottom dollar I will
>not utilize Verizon Wireless at home or at work and as soon as there is
>a local service I will also drop my Verizon local phone service.  I am
>THAT appalled at your poor taste & judgement.
>
>
>Pleading for a positive action,
>
>Alicia Drakiotes
>PO Box 562
>Marlborough, NH  03455-0562
>
>Education coordinator, International Ferret Congress
>www.ferretwise.org
[Posted in FML issue 3873]