Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman 1400 Independence Ave SW Room 312-E Whitten Building Washington, DC 20250 [log in to unmask] 202-720-3631 Bobby Acord, Administrator of the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service 1400 Independence Ave SW Room 200-A Whitten Building Washington, DC 20250 [log in to unmask] 202-720-3668, Fax 202-720-3054 and it would also be good to write to your federal congressional delegation. Use the below websites if you are unsure who to contact. http://www.house.gov/writerep/ http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm The letters don't have to be long. Just a statement of support for ferret-specific regulations will work. IT CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS: I WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT I AM IN COMPLETE SUPPORT OF HAVING FERRET-SPECIFIC REGULATIONS TO BETTER PROTECT FERRETS. If you worry that they won't know what you mean just print out a copy of what Dr. Sandra Kudrak wrote, which can be found in the International Ferret Congress site: http://www.ferretcongress.org . Those who do write about horrors they have encountered or read about which could have been stopped do so, please. Iill and even dying underage kits sold to stores, ferrets who have died of the heat on airport tarmacs, etc., all count. Yes, a polite letter mentioning such things helps emphasis the need, but if you think that you might delay till you forget then write the short note now and get it out. You can always send the longer one later, too. Thanks for writing, for reminding folks, and for spreading the information, Suzi! We've been very glad to hear of so many writing, but remember NUMBERS REALLY COUNT FOR THIS. HUNDREDS OF LETTERS AND NAMES ARE GOOD BUT A NUMBER IN THE THOUSANDS WOULD BE A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE -- AND IS COMPLETELY DOABLE IF THOSE WHO HAVEN'T SENT NOTES, YET DO SO -- SO , PLEASE, SEND YOUR NOTES AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO JOIN YOU OR SIGN YOUR LETTER AND PETITIONS. [Posted in FML issue 4468]