Well, I just got back from a working trip to LA.  While I was there, I
thought I would race around town & put up some flyers.  What I did was
compile "handouts" using the Wanted poster on top, then the FA Help Us
Legalize Ferrets flyer, & then the page from FA Update with the committee
names & addresses.  I highlighted all the ones who needed letters and calls
the most.  Then I added a roster listing of all the LA Senators &
Assemblymen by district, & highlighted the committee members.  I figured
that would be easiest in LA because there are so many districts, & they
aren't configured in logical ways.  I did part of West LA-- passed them out
at pet shops around Santa Monica and Venice.  I believe other folks may be
doing Hollywood, Mar Vista, and Reseda.  (Hope that is useful info, Ms. Pea,
if you are doing flyers this weekend!).  Everywhere I went, the people at
the pet stores were positive and encouraging, in some cases enthusiastic.
There was only one exception, Pet Depot on Wilshire.  The man behind the
counter told me that the owner was vigourously opposed to legalization, &
not to bother leaving a flyer.  He was pleasant about it, but it was
disheartening.  Well, here's the wierd part: The same person who owns Pet
Depot also owns Petville USA, which seems to have a whole different attitude
about ferrets.  Go figure!
 
And leaving the flyers DOES make a difference.  Don't just drop them off...
talk to the employees and explain the situation to them.  Answer questions.
I gave them out at pet stores and vets after I got home, and the employees
who read them at two places immediately declared that they were going to
write to EVERYONE!!!!!
 
When I got home from my trip and caught up on FMLs, I almost lay down and
died when I read that only TEN letters had been received.  Everybody, PLEASE
write!  Call, fax, E-mail, anything... PLEASE!  This is our only chance.
There are more than 500,000 ferrets in CA, and only TEN letters were
written?  TEN???  Please write now!  Do it today!
 
And if AB 363 is passed and approved, we should all celebrate by setting up
a fund to help Ilona and others retrieve their fur children from
out-of-state and have them home again.  It is only too bad that it is too
late for all the little ones who were sent to their deaths by F&G.  Please,
everyone-- it's very, very serious in Calif... lives are at stake.  PLEASE
WRITE.  Assemblymen, Senators, and Committee members, ESPECIALLY the
undecided ones.  PLEASE.
 
[jd]
[Posted in FML issue 1894]