tim fowler <[log in to unmask]> wrote >I'm afraid that this reaction is all too typical of the anti field sports >rspca. They regard anything to do with the countryside as cruel and to be >avoided, and all those who participate in field sports as barbarians. We >Brittish should be proud of the fact that only us and the aussies can use >ferrets for what they were intended for, and not as cosseted powder puff >pets. At one time the RSPCA used to be OK... they've now been infiltrated by antis:-( The ferreting season has been cut short by FMD. No hunting allowed due to the outbreak... most folk had given up hunting on a voluntary - most ferreters are responsible enought not to need MAFF or a government to tell us to keep off land where there is livestock. The House of Lords has kicked out the Bill to ban Hunting with Dogs. A lot of ferreters use dogs (lurchers mainly) when they go out doing pest control. The FMD has put paid to a lot of country shows, shows where I and other folk that run ferret welfares would normally have displays to allow members of the public to see and handle ferrets (and hopefully learn something about them), also the shows were a source of income - income which is needed to pay food and vet bills. I have been lucky in that I've been writing about ferrets for a magazine... it will help with some of the expenses but I'd much rather be out doing country shows and chatting to people about ferrets. -- Sheila Bolton Ferret Welfare & N.F.W.S. News Editor. NFWS. Web Site: www.n-f-w-s.co.uk last update 12 Mar 2001 Web Site: www.sheila.btinternet.co.uk/bolton.htm last update 20 Mar 2001 Waiting at Rainbow Bridge:- Jill, Deanna Troi, Cameron, Carnath, Button, Bill, Bobby, Jasper, Inga, Holly, Fergle, Amanda, Sparky, Daniel, Blackie, Marvin, Claude, Bumper, Kurt, Tasha Yar, Larry & Lily (The opinions expressed in this post are not necessarily those of the NFWS) [Posted in FML issue 3371]