I agree with Judy, Linda and the rest.  It seems that about weekly on the
FML and elsewhere there will be someone talking about a situation of pet
stores with kits so young that they are emaciated and have prolapses or
other medical problems.  Then we all get our guts torn out with sadness
now or then because the transport services used only have to meet the
standards for larger puppies and kittens which means that periodically
we hear of shipments of ferret kits dead of hea, dehydration, freezing,
or another preventable cause on a tarmac.  For ages now we've all
figured that the USDA *NEEDS* to have ferret-specific guidelines for
the breeders (usually farms) who sell to wholesale (The USDA does not
have any jurisdiction over the private breeders who sell privately so
they are not influenced by this work), and ferret-specific guidelines
for the distributors and transport that the wholesale market breeders
use.
 
An e-mail is good, a phone call is good, a snail mail letter, especially
if you include a ferret card or cute ferret photo is better, but do the
e-mail or phone call or both, too, just in case it takes time for you to
get to writing a snail mail letter.  Stay polite; we NEED these people
to understand and don't want to drive them away with bad behavior, but
DO tell them about the sick ferrets you have seen, nursed, and rescued
due to the current standards being inappropriate for the health and
behavioral needs of ferrets.  If the USDA approves the recommendations
entirely they could mean: an 8 week minimum sales and transport age
nationally, an end to forced weaning, enclosures which are safe and which
allow for play and interactions, temperature standards for transporting
which will save lives, and more -- all fair and all good to ferrets.  The
chances are that some sections will be lost, but the proposal is fair,
practical and it will save and help ferrets.
 
***** If you have ever felt helpless on seeing a sick young kit in a
store, if you have ever felt like you were banging your head against a
brick wall to help these kits, if you have ever wanted to see better
standards nationally and as an inspiration to states this is your chance.
YOU HAVE THE POWER NOW!  *****
 
Please, go to http://www.ferretcongress.org to read the materials from
Dr. Sandra Kudrak, and join those who are letting the USDA know about
this need!  If the USDA can be convinced that there is a need for
standards they will review the standards and consider them.
THIS IS THE CHANCE THE FERRET COMMUNITY HAS WAITED FOR.
 
If you have a newsletter, ferret list, or website note that there are
attached permissions to pass along some of these materials from Dr.
Kudrak and you can point people to the URL for the rest.  You can copy
the materials with attached permissions and hand them out at gatherings
or have folks sign supportive letters at such meetings.  You can pass
them on to friends, relative, and co-workers who adore your ferrets, and
leave them at your vet's hospital for people to act upon.  If you are a
shelter you can have those adopting or dropping off read and sign.
 
THIS IS THE CHANCE EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR!
 
PLEASE, TAKE AS MUCH ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY AS YOU CAN!
 
  Please contact:
 
  Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman
  1400 Independence Ave SW Room 312-E
  Whitten Building
  Washington, DC 20250
  [log in to unmask]
  202-720-3631
 
  Bobby Acord, Administrator of the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
  1400 Independence Ave SW Room 200-A
  Whitten Building
  Washington, DC 20250
  [log in to unmask]
  202-720-3668, Fax 202-720-3054
 
  and
 
  Your federal congressional delegation.
Use the below websites if you are unsure who to contact.
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
 
Join the fight to save these little baby ferrets, to have good conditions
at the breeders, to reduce the sickly kits turned in at shelters for
health reasons.  Show the USDA how very many of us see this need and
are grateful for this chance to get improvements with ferret-specific
regulations in the future.  YOUR INPUT COUNTS HUGELY RIGHT NOW!
[Posted in FML issue 4462]