Dear Ferret Mailing List: The Circle City Ferret Club would appreciate your help to post the following for circulation for those in the state of Indiana: The Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development Committee is meeting Wednesday, February 21 to vote on HB 1277 which is a sorely needed bill giving the State Board of Animal Health the right to license pet shops in the state of Indiana. Right now the only one to complain to about conditions is the different prosecutors in the county who are too overloaded to take on these complaints and when they do it is often too late for the welfare of these animals in pet shops. A recent example of this took place in Anderson when the prosecutor finally investigated and got a court order to step in, most of the animals were dead or almost dead. This bill lets the BOAH establish the conduct of a pet store owner which includes maintaining sanitary conditions, insuring proper ventilation, providing adequate nutrition, providing HUMANE CARE AND TREATMENT of all animals under pet store operator's control, taking reasonable care to prevent disease and establishing a relationship with a vet and not being able to import into the state for sale or resale a dog or cat less than eight weeks of age. You can read the bill in it's entirety by going to http://www.state.in.us/legislative/bills/2001/IN/IN1277.1. html. The legislators and their e-mail addresses are House Representatives Mark Lytle [log in to unmask], Robert Bischoff [log in to unmask], Jerry Denbo [log in to unmask], Terry Goodin [log in to unmask], Dale Grubb [log in to unmask], Paul Robertson [log in to unmask], Russell Stillwell [log in to unmask], Dale Sturtz [log in to unmask], Richard Mangus (?), William Friend [log in to unmask], Robert Hoffman [log in to unmask], Paul Mannweiler [log in to unmask], Michael Ripley [log in to unmask] and John Ulman [log in to unmask] To find a complete listing of all representatives and senators go to http://www.starnews.com/news/articles/lawtab0107.html Send a note to the above and also to your own representative encouraging them to pass HB 1277. If you can cite an example of why you think this would help the welfare of animals in pet shops and also consumers who will not be unknowing purchasing sick animals. As ferret lovers, we are hoping that the Board of Animal Health will establish proper care and procedures for ferrets which will eliminate the overcrowding of too young kits ( some stores are carrying them at 4-5 weeks of age)in wire cages with feces piling up in the corner. Also that pet stores may have to become more knowledgeable about the animals they sell, in particular ferrets, and alert consumers to risks of contaminating their other ferrets with kits that could possibly be carrying ECE. Some people have already had this happen to them and the pet store could care less. Again, this bill is desperately needed and would have some teeth in it as the BOAH will use licensing fees to pay for inspectors to make sure pet stores are adhering to these regulations. Connie Hewitt [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 3334]