> I'd like to see a requirement for every breeder and every person >rescuing ferrets to be licensed by the local authorities, with the >premises subject to inspection and with proper breeding or >fostering records kept. Yeah, lets leave it to the RSPCA to "euthanase" (murder) healthy creatures that are too inconvenient to house, thats far preferable than having someone take in the poor little guys who become homeless for whatever reason. I think 3 of mine were probably very happy that someone was there to just " go get them" when their previous owners grew tired, first of the albino that was running alive with fleas, then the sable twins one of whom still has biting issues. much better maybe to turn them free in the woods and let them take their chance huh? and make no mistake, thats what was going to happen to these girls the owner told me so... and how I get out of there without hitting the guy I will never know, Except I remember thinking that I couldn't help these kinda scared little guys if I was locked up. Make no Mistake, this would happen far more. My Vet knows that in the case of abandoned or otherwise homeless Ferrets they can call me... no I don't see myself as a rescue, but there are none within around 80 miles that will take ferrets. So where do they go then? Licensing and inspection is going to cost, "Big Brother" is not only controlling and intrusive, but expects you to pay for the pleasure of his scrutiny. It just adds to the expense of giving a few creatures a forever home, or for taking them in, keeping them safe and well till a forever home can be found for them, especially when you consider that some people seem to regard ferrets as disposable and so rarely if ever take them to a vet, it all costs, and while I don't begrudge the drain on my very limited income I resent having to pay for some civil servant (who probably knows diddly squat about ferrets) to tell me if I am a fit and proper person to give them another chance at a decent quality of life. If this were in place, and suddenly there was a glut of homeless ferrets (as apparently there was a few years ago round here when the rabbeting wasn't good) I would be forced to choose between doing what was "right" (taking in the creatures) and doing what was "legal" turning them away, ("Im sorry I don't have the right bits of paper") that is to most likely condemn them to a slow hungry cold death on the local ranges, and don't shake your head in disbelief, such is the callousness of some people, my girls came within a whisker of being in that situation. Before anything happens to reduce the already small number of shelters and welfare groups in the UK, I would like to see the RSPCA disbanded and replaced by proper local authority animal welfare officers, trained in the care of domestic creatures. It will never happen, but the RSPCA have repeatedly proved themselves unfit to act as a welfare provider, and proposals like this are likely to give them powers which they don't actually have at the moment (but would dearly love), and sadly, given the cut price nature of this country now, any moves such as you describe are likely to place more control in the hands of this already discredited organization Our thoughts to those with sick or angelled sock stashers Cris Page & the terrible twosome Skweek (Spookydook) & Rhoobarb (Biteyweezil)(Sable Twin) Remembering Custard (Cussie(angel)weezil) sister of Rhoobarb.(2nd of the sable twins) Bubbles(Da Warweezil)First Ferret par excellence, Leader of the Furkidz. mailto:[log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 4415]