<sigh> I should've known it was too quiet.  Should've guessed that
*someone* would kick up an almighty stink.  But nope, never even
considered it.  <bigger sigh>
 
Page 2 of the 'local rag' with a lead-in picture on the *front page* -
which has a readership which covers a large area of the Northern part of
New Zealand, has a half page article (complete with pictures of a stuffed
ferret with fangs bared and apparently 'attacking' - as well as diagrams
of how to tell apart weasels, stoats and ferrets) on how evil ferrets are,
and how they're decimating the wildlife, and how they should be banned
totally.  Part of the article goes on about how they're currently banned
(legally they aren't, as 'banning' them goes against National law, which
specifically states you can own three ferrets - more if you have a permit)
they're talking about how they are currently listed in the lower section of
feral animals in regards to impact - the section which means the council
can't routinely go out and kill them on sight.  They're looking at making
them listed as one of the worst feral animals in the country so that they
can routinely trap, poison and otherwise find ways of killing the ferals
*and* to make it legal to come into peoples homes and kill their pets!
 
I'm ... well, shall we say, not impressed.  Tomorrow is, unfortunately, a
weekend - and this being a relatively small town attitude, the paper will
be closed to enquiries until Monday.  I'm planning on contacting the person
who wrote the article to see if another article could possibly be published
which points out that feral ferrets are NOT the pet variety, and to prove
that they AREN'T (as the title of the article claims) "natural born
killers"
 
<grrrrr>
 
Due to copyright restrictions I don't believe I can release the article
publicly, anyone interested in reading this fiasco, please email me direct
at [log in to unmask]
 
Thanks.
 
Sam
[Posted in FML issue 3036]