Yes, the ferrets were sickly, the majority of them. They had been kept in what the defense attorney called was a natural environment to them, dark and dank. The stench was so horrible the authorities called in the Fire dept to bring fans to air it out before removing the ferrets. Cages were stacked floor to ceiling. So why did the prosecution not press animal cruelty charges? I have no idea. Why wasn't a ferret authority called on to testify. I have no idea. Sadly, this type of thing happens more than you want to know. The people that gave Jen Morrison their ferrets probably thought they would have a good home. This is why it is so very important to visit any shelter or caretakers home BEFORE releasing ferrets to them. Many ferrets may end up barely existing in cages for weeks, months, years in the home of someone you thought would be a responsible caretaker. For all you know, the person you gave your ferrets too might be a hoarder and you've destined your ferrets to live in tiny filthy cages for the remainder of their lives. If you'd like to purchase a copy of the tape for $18, you can see for yourself how convincing Jen Morrison was to her attorney that she was taking proper care of the ferrets. Never mind the stench that caused one officer to throw up, or the windows that were closed and covered with dark material so the animal control officer had to use a flashlight to see anything in mid-morning, with no AC in 80 degree temps.... Contact Tara C. Radford <[log in to unmask]> to purchase a tape. All proceeds go to the shelters and transporters that helped the 235 ferrets from Utah. hugs to all. tle Troy Lynn Eckart Ferret Family Services http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/ Please sign up to support our charity http://www.iGive.com/html/ssi.cfm?cid=46&mid=58395 [Posted in FML issue 3806]