My Kiwi has limited mobility, and was on liquid food, so she had to travel
with us when we went anywhere.  We have been using a small pet carrier,
with towels or t-shirts piled in the back for bedding, and two paper
towels, folded in half, laid across the front of the cage as a toilet area.
Kiwi understood right away, and only went on the paper.  It is easy to
remove without getting messy, and I replace it with clean paper towels
immediately.  I always check the bedding to make sure it stays dry.  She
has gotten so used to this arrangement that now, when she's on the boat, if
I don't notice right away that she has made a mess, she grabs the door with
her teeth and rattles it to get my attention!  My husband suggested giving
her a bell!  The other advantage is that when we first brought her on the
boat and let her wander in the cabin, I laid some paper towels down in one
corner, and sure enough, she made her way over there and used it as a
litter box!
 
Regarding the AFA, I'm sure the leadership, with the paranoia they've shown
before, will just dismiss this as people 'out to get them', but the testing
policy is a mess the way it is now.  There is no way to enforce this fairly
(and I thought you said you weren't in the business of policing at shows?).
If I go to a show and see someone I think may defeat me in competition, it
sounds like all I have to do is say "hey, so-and-so has an ADV-positive
ferret in their home!", and they will have to prove their innocence, which
means they can't compete until they get a test!  Sounds like you're setting
yourselves up for lawsuits, folks.  What is the problem with requiring
EVERYONE who shows their ferret to get a test, and produce it at each show?
Just like the Coggins Tests are required for all horses at shows --
everyone has to do it, even if there's never been an outbreak near their
farm.  It's the only fair way to help limit the spread of disease.  If the
leadership of AFA wonders why folks think they're playing favorites, this
policy is an excellent example of our reasoning.
 
And to the appropriately named Wormhole, I'm quite sure I remember this
tag being traced back to Debbie a while ago.  Unless, of course, someone
'hicked' it from your computer.  It's very sad that this type of personal
attack is allowed to happen.  It makes it hard to take the sincere postings
about problem shelters seriously, because now I'll always wonder if the
person complaining just has a personal grudge against someone, as this
person obviously does.  I don't know Kim personally, but she has always
seemed very helpful, friendly, and devoted to ferret care, and she surely
doesn't deserve this nonsense.
 
Joanne
[Posted in FML issue 3061]