SAGINAW, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 1997--
 
  Desperate Family Hires Political Consultant to Wage
               Aggressive Communications Plan
 
With only several days left, the campaign to spare the life of one family's
pet ferret from an unusual and unconscionable court-ordered death sentence
has retained a hired-gun political consultant to publicize the plight of
"Kodo the Kute".
 
Massachusetts political consultant Bud Jackson was yesterday hired to direct
a quick and massive nationwide grass-roots effort aimed at exposing the
heart-wrenching plight of the Jacobs' children and the real-life
consequences now facing the entire family.  Donations from nationwide
supporters will fund Jackson's firm - Jackson Communications - to bolster
efforts aimed at achieving a stay of execution and eventual dismissal of
charges for the unfairly death-sentenced family pet, Kodo.  The pet is
slated for execution on June 9, 1997.
 
Last month on the first day of National Pet Week, Robert Jacobs brought the
family's pet ferret to a mall pet exhibition where a gentlemen reached out
to the ferret, accidentally scraping his finger on the pet's nose and tooth.
The scrape broke skin causing minor bleeding.  According to court testimony,
the gentleman sometime later made an off-handed joke about the small "bite"
to his wife which animal control officer Karen Burns (who invited Jacobs to
participate) accidentally overheard.  Burns then presented Jacobs with a
"bite report" which correctly stated `Minor, No stitches, Scratch Did
Bleed.' "Then she took Kodo away from me!" said Jacobs.  Now, over 30 days
later and despite the fact the Jacobs' family pet would have died within ten
days had it had rabies, and despite a previous rabies vaccination shot, Kodo
is still being held awaiting the illogical court-ordered death penalty.
 
Jacobs, who recently was forced to leave his job so he could fight in court
to save the life of his children's (Eric, 9 and Crystal, 8) pet ferret, said
"I'm fighting for my children whom I've always taught that truth and honesty
pays.  I can't let them down by allowing politics and bureaucracy to win out
over truth and honesty."
 
Jackson waged a successful publicity campaign two years ago in Massachusetts
which helped legalize the pet in that state.  Last year, Jackson was hired
by the California Domestic Ferret Association and waged a highly successful
communications effort aimed at earning approval for a key legislative
resolution opening the door for the pet's hopeful future legalization.
 
Over the past several weeks, "Kodo the Kute" has already been sentenced to
death, won an appeal for failing to have due process, and recently lost the
last case which once again meted out the penalty of capital punishment.
 
Several rallies across the nation are slated for this Saturday, including
one in Detroit, Michigan during a pet exhibition dedicated to the plight of
the family's pet ferret.
 
"We need Mr. Jackson's help on our side of the table.  We need him to
communicate the government's cold-hearted and senseless position to the
people -- and soon," concluded Jacobs.
 
TO REACH MR. JACKSON DIRECT, PLEASE CALL (xxx) xxx xxxx OR BEEPER:
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
                                 --30--mb/bos
 
CONTACT: Robert Jacobs, 517/777-4807
[Posted in FML issue 1959]