The internet makes the world a very small place, and, although I very rarely post publicly to the FML, I have noticed within the past fortnight there have been several postings relating to the Western Australian Ferret & Ferreting Society (WAFFS), and, with your permission, I would like to address some of those issues for the information of those who may have been misinformed. When referring to conditions such as adrenal diseases and insulinomas in Australia, only cases which have been positively diagnosed by a vet or pathologist ought to be included in statistics. Whilst it seems to be very easy for anyone to look at a bald ferret and think or diagnose "adrenal" or a spaced out, lumpy or weak-legged ferret and think or diagnose "insulinoma" this, in Western Australia at least, is MOST OFTEN found not to be the case when investigated by a ferret-knowledgeable vet utilising correct scientific procedures. Wherever possible in the case of a deceased ferret, copies of the post-mortems are acquired by WAFFS committee and this data, along with details of health issues from members and Vets help to centralise the dissemination of knowledge of ferret health. (There are many ferret-knowledgeable or, as we call them, ferret-friendly Vets in Western Australia and, although many of them may not be known to committee members personally, our members keep us constantly up-dated with their favourite Vet so we are able to refer other ferret owners to the one closest to their suburb). With regard to ferret vaccinations, *there has not been a single distemper vaccine available in Australia for approximately ten years now* and it was as the result of this non-availability that we had to cast around for the best alternative. Websters C3 vaccine was our chosen alternative that long ago and in the ten years since past we have never had cause to regret our choice. Recently noises were made within Australia as to whether a "ferret vaccine" should be imported from the USA. However based upon our excellent results and the number of ferrets involved in our vaccination days alone, and with due consideration given to the adverse effects encountered from, for instance, Fervac, Fort Dodge Pharmaceuticals (previously Websters) decided they would continue to supply C3 and would not import. As for our group vaccination days causing "stress" to our beloved fur babies, I would dearly love to be that stressed. : - ) Finally, the WAFFS Ferret Rescue operates state-wide with the full co-operation of local vets, council rangers, the RSPCA, club members and members of the public and does work closely with the co-ordinator of a second rescue service, in which way we all avoid ferrets "falling through the cracks". The WAFFS Rescue team and the Rescue Co-ordinator operate under the scrutiny of the whole committee and ferret breeders are never chosen to be members of the rescue team as a conflict of interest could be perceived. With the housing of rescued and/or relinquished ferrets being spread among our many members, the ferrets are kept in loving homes until either being reunited with their owners or being adopted out. It is not a requirement of this Club that you must be a member in order to own a ferret, and we will do all we can to provide the necessary knowledge to prospective ferret owners prior to them getting their own, but it is definitely a requirement that you must be a member in order to adopt one of our RESCUE FERRETS as, in that way we are able to "keep an eye on them" so to speak. Because of the efficient way in which the rescue service operates and thanks to the generosity of all our members, a "Shelter" is not used or indeed required in W.A. The WAFFS Ferret Rescue Service has operated this way for the past nine years and with the (literally) hundreds of ferrets which have come into the system only three have required veterinary bills to be paid by our Society. Our Club is by no means perfect, and it certainly is hard to call back people who do not leave a message on the answering machine, but our Rescue Service has a rotation number which is monitored 24/7/365 and it would be very rare indeed for those calls to be missed. Having only been involved with ferrets for14 years and with WAFFS for the past 10, I have certainly met some rough and ready characters, thankfully it has not yet been my misfortune to meet a ferret owner who would "bang their ferret on the head and bury it in the back garden" and for that I am truly grateful. Regards Dianne Rohowicz President Western Australian Ferret & Ferreting Society Inc. [Posted in FML issue 3858]