Heard this morning from Fran L'Heureux and from Dick Bossart (who heard from
Bob L'Heureaux, bill sponsor) that the New Hampshire ferret legislation has
now also passed their senate.  Now it's just up to that state's governor to
sign it (and he's been pro-ferret so far) and all New Hampshire's ferrets
will be safe once it goes into effect.  (Until now vaccinated ones with a
known past were safe, but not the others.) CONGRATULATIONS, NEW HAMPSHIRE!
 
New Jersey:  Anne Ryan and I are following up on TWO ferrets in a pound.
 
OKAY!  I got to erase all the stuff we were doing on that because it's just
been resolved so now we just need to get people to the Edison pound to
adopt them within the week.  One source said the pound was planning to
destroy them on it's own, and the other said that the local health office
had ordered them destroyed.  Having them hear from Dr. Campbell of the
State Health Dept. (a good guy) cut through that like a hot knife through
butter, as did realizing that they were being watched.  Had to move fast on
this one -- one of the ferrets was described by a vet hospital worker (from
the brief no-touching glimpse she was permitted) as either a possible
adrenal or a possible in-heat situation, and since anemia is such a killer
with the second possibility...
 
Here's a national way to help protect your ferrets and other pets.  As you
already know most forms of research need animals from known sources to
reduce variables, but some (like the cosmetic industry) don't for many
studies.  Unfortunately, sometimes pets find their ways into such labs, with
theft being a known source.  In an effort to have more ability to discourage
this practise and provide more legal punch to put people who do this behind
bars and to remove their licences Rep Canady (R-FL) of the U.S.  House of
Representatives (Washington, D.C. 20515, [log in to unmask] -- you can
also use this info to find and encourage your own Rep. to vote yes for this
bill) has introduced HR594 which would prohibit Dept. of Agriculture
licensed dealers from selling animals from "random sources" to research
institutions for experimentation.
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2337]