This is a letter that was printed in a large well read paper in a city near me, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It was in response to a letter written a few days earlier by a Laurie Clarke asking city council to reconsider their ban of ferrets.[ Ferrets are illegal in Windsor] I feel our beloved fuzzy friends need defending and am asking you to write a letter to the editor. To respond to this letter, e-mail letters to: [log in to unmask] Letter should be no more than 300 words and must include your full name and address and daytime phone number. I am typing this letter since I do not know any other way to post it here. If anyone wants to see a copy from the paper, please e-mail me and I will pass it on to you. Thank you for your help. Inge _______________________________________________________________________ Bylaw on ferrets must not be changed Re:Ferret Owner Says Bylaw Outdated, June 14.The writer of the letter, Laurie Clarke, stated that the persons who made the city bylaw are ignorant of the facts on ferrets. In fact it is Laurie Clarke who is ignorant. The bylaw was enacted for the protection of our citizens. Documented information was provided to city council showing ferrets had been responsible for several cases of helpless infants being killed in their cribs by the family pet ferret. Also, there are cases where small children needed plastic surgery to correct facial damage caused by ferrets in the home. The vaccine to prevent rabies in dogs does not work for ferrets, nor the vaccine for cats. There were reported incidents of people buying ferrets from pet shops that were later found to have rabies. At the time of the council hearings,our Windsor humane society manager stated that they had received quite a few reports of ferret bites. There is also the danger ferrets pose if they escape from their human homes, and quite a few have. It was widely believed that this wouldn't be a problem as it was thought they would not survive our winters outdoors. There were reports from Scotland and other countries with similar climates as ours, where ferrets have not only survived but have multiplied their numbers to the point where they are destroying native wildlife. Ferrets are not a good choice for a family pet, and are most definitely dangerous around children. I would hope city council would not reopen this issue and would further enforce the bylaw by not allowing ferret owners in Windsor to advertise ferrets for sale in the paper. Noreen Gehl Windsor [Posted in FML issue 4919]