Okayyyyyyyyy... Let's just recall how "factual" the IFNS report of my state
compilations was.  At the time when I already knew that over half the states
were going with Compendium they put down that 8 were and that **I** had said
that to them most recently.  Obviously somewhere and somehow things got
scrambled.  After that was up I heard from a wide range of people who said
they had also had their names attached to reports they considered far from
even a stretching of the truth.  "Elastic Fantastic" said one... Of course,
this can happen in any publication and DOES -- which is what retraction
boxes, letters to the editor, and sometimes editorials are for.  We ALL have
our "Opps"es.  Heck, if I had a nickel for each time I've goofed I'd be
rich.
 
Consider the source of any info before you hang someone, then even when you
personally consider the source reliable get the full story from all sides
since there could just be a simple misunderstanding.
 
I have no idea if Debbie Kemmerer has ever done any declawings, let alone
how many (if any) or what the situations were.  (I have heard from some vets
of several cases with cats in which the vet was presented with the choice of
"You declaw this cat or you kill this cat", and the people refusing to even
hear of adoption to another home.  What would YOU do?) With IFNS being the
ONLY source I've heard referred to (so I don't even know if that's what they
wrote) as saying that she's "bragged" about declawings I'm going to take it
with a boulder of salt at this time as possibly a VERY ugly rumor, maybe a
misunderstanding, maybe a misunderstanding of IFNS, maybe whatever -- UNTIL
I know MORE.
 
What I DO know about the lady is that she has ALWAYS been there for MULTIPLE
shelters, that she has HELPED MANY, MANY FML people with ill pets for YEARS,
that she has helped collect even pots and pans for a fellow ferret owner
whose home was destroyed, that she pulls out all stops when trying to save
ferret lives.
 
Hey, if someone wrote something HORRIBLE about YOU (YES -- YOU) and you had
spent ages helping ferrets and ferret people wouldn't you feel that you
deserve a chance and the benefit of the doubt so that people won't damn you
on the basis of an ugly story until they know if it's based upon any facts
at all?
 
Too many are doing this to Jean Smith, too.  Guess what, folks?  I once had
a polygraph test in a company which required them, and failed a question but
I told the person how insulting I found the question and THAT turned out to
be why I'd failed it.  There are also studies on how some subsets of
psychopaths and sociopaths who pass the tests over and over -- some of them
get physiologically CALMER as they commit assaults or recall them.  How's
that for spooky?
 
Oh, about the CURRENT numbers with states: Only a large handful are lagging
because they are still following their states' procedures to get changes
through.  (The AFA is busy in some of those states (when requested by local
clubs) helping folks optimize hearings and the like, just as they are
working to educate the Territories right now about ferrets, helping (if
requested) in the states which are pursuing legislation, and trying to find
some solutions for the rare smuggled and confiscated ferret in HI.) CA has
to formalize the quarantine compromise Jenne told you about.  Otherwise, all
the states have changed policy.  THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT ALL THE LOCAL
DEPARTMENTS KNOW OR ARE FOLLOWING THESE CHANGES.  TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WE
MUST ALL -- EVERY BLASTED ONE OF US -- EDUCATE OUR OWN LOCAL DEPARTMENTS.
IN STATES WHERE THEY ARE AUTONOMOUS LEGISLATION NEEDS TO BE PURSUED.  DO be
SURE to get a copy of 1998 Compendium by copying from the AVMA Web Site, or
copying from your vet's JAMVA, or getting it from STAR Ferrets or the AFA.
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2274]