As expected, after months of putting our case on the back burner, Judge Michael Stallman made the decision to dismiss the lawsuit against Mayor Giuliani and the Department of Health and not allow it to go to trial. It is important to realize that Judge Stallman's decision to dismiss the case is not a decision against ferrets, but a decision to dismiss primarily based on the fact that whether or not the DOH has made faulty policy, the courts have limited, if any, legal power to do anything about it. The lawsuit was never our most promising method for overturning the ban, but in the interest of exploring all possible avenues, the possibility of overturning the ban through the courts (however slight) had to be explored. Nothing has changed with regard to legalizing ferrets through the City's other more promising and more likely channels i.e. the new Mayor, the new DOH, or the new City Council. Every single politician, without exception, who has taken the time to review the facts and current information on ferrets has been overwhelmingly supportive of ferret legalization. Those who have opposed legalization have openly admitted that they didn't have the time or the interest to review the information made available to them. We remain confident that once the remaining politicians take the time to reveiw the facts on the domesticated pet ferret, there will be an immediate lifting of the ban. More information can be found on the NYCFerrets.Com website NYCFerrets.Com ------------------------------------- http://www.NYCFerrets.Com ------------------------------------- [Posted in FML issue 3822]