Please excuse my tardiness in my replies to previous posts.  I am still
trying to catch up from having 19 rescue ferrets in my house.
 
>From:    William Killian - Zen and the Art of Ferrets
>(Even the dog and cat problem is getting better every year.) Shelters can
>not provide the ferrets needed (wanted) by people.  Hobby breeders can not
>even come close to meeting the demands.  Ranches are necessary ...
 
Yes, there is a need for MF and Path Valley.  However, I don't like to hear
hobby/backyard/amateur breeders say that they breed to better the ferret
lines or create new colors or what have you.
 
The truth is that there are a lot of ferrets available for adoption from
rescues all over the country.  Adrienne Boerger made this point very clear
in her Tuesday post when she said "This doesn't mean that they won't get
sold, but it does mean that the shelters will not be able to adopt their
animals out, and more and more animals will be without homes." (She makes
some other wonderful points in that post also.  Good post Adrienne!)
 
How can a full grown adult rescue ferret compete with a cute baby kit?
Regard- less of the heritage of the ferret, it takes the same amount of time
and care to raise one ferret.  So when someone is looking to add *a* ferret
to their household, that means that only one of these ferrets will get a
home.  And more than likely, it will be the kit over the rescue.
 
So, if you want to breed for personal reasons, then so be it.  Just don't
try to convince everyone else that it's for the ferrets.  This is not meant
as a flame to you Bill, just a pet peeve of mine that I just can't keep
quiet about this time.
 
Bill you also spoke in the same post of:
 
>...So far the good guys are winning.  If the attackers would instead expend
>their energy in a productive manner to wor k toward full National
>legalization and full National quarrantine policies instead of
>self-promotion we'd all be better off.
 
Unfortunately, there is only so much that all of us can do on a National
level with the rabies issue.  We will work with Howard Davis to have the
Compendium written more favorably towards a national quarantine period,
however, this does not mean that the state Health Depts will follow those
guidelines recommended in the Compendium.  Ours won't!
 
I believe we will all have to fight our own battles in our own states.  That
doesn't mean, however, that we can't work together.  I have been in contact
with many people across the nation to trade tactics and documents.  And I
offer our help with those just starting out as we were not too long ago.
 
>From:    War Machine <[log in to unmask]>
>1.  I know dogs chase cars - but Princess goes for walks with me and when a
>car goes by - she wants to run and catch it - WHY???
 
Kevin, my alpha ferret, Casper, used to love to chase cars when we used to
take him for walks at night.  It was so funny to watch!  Casper even learned
the word "car" so we could warn him when they were coming.  He would stop in
his tracks and wait for it.  When it would pass us, he would chase it.  I
had forgotten that he did that until I read your post.  Thanks for the happy
reminder.  :) (I hope Casper is able to do that again soon!)
 
>From:    Paula A Bryder <[log in to unmask]>
 
Paula, have you given your local Humane Society a copy of their new policy
regarding ferrets as companion animals?  Our local branch found out about
the change in policy from us.  :(
 
The policy update was posted on the FML back in the spring/early summer by
Chere McCoy. The issue # escapes me at the moment, but it consisted of
Chere's post only and was titled "Something Special". I haven't been able
to put my finger on the printout as I am working on cataloging all our
rabies documents and the ferrets have been helping me spread them out all
over the floor. ;)
 
If you need more assistance, let me know. I can provide references of other
Humane Society Shelters in our state that work with us too. Perhaps they
will talk with Hillsboro County's offices? Good luck!
 
Happy ferreting!
 
Susie
Casper, Trixie, Binky, IVAN!, pj, and Kody
 
[Moderator's note: The policy update was issue 1568 - 13 May, 1996.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 1708]