This is the email I sent to Dr. Gipson. >Dr. Gipson >I am writing to ascertain the status of the ferret specific >regulations that were the subject of a USDA notice last year. >Responses to the USDA's call for comment clearly showed that the >public feels there is an urgent need for such regulations to be >developed, yet a year after the call for comments was published, >there has apparently been little progress towards this goal. > >Rumors are that this issue will be dealt with using the simple >expedient of a 8 week shipping age for ALL warm blooded mammals not >otherwise covered. While this might help deal with the issue of >underage ferret kits in pet stores, it does not include a provision >for dental aging, does not meet the other specific needs of the >ferret, and does a huge disservice to other mammals whose maturation >rates differ greatly. > >As one of the signers of the original petition submitted to the USDA >in March of 2004 (nearly 2 1/2 years ago!), the International Ferret >Congress is deeply concerned about the lack of attention to the >ferrets' true needs. > >Could you please let us know what your agency will do with regard to >ferret regulations that will be meaningful and useful in protecting >this increasingly popular pet? and here is the reply I got from his underling. >Hi, > >Dr. Gipson has asked me to reply to your note of concern. Initially >we thought that we could propose a regulation that would single out >ferret's transportation age and the requirement for a health >certificate. However, it was discovered that another staff officer >had a proposed rule in the agency clearance process that would >establish a rule stating that all warm blooded mammals must (1) be >weaned, and (2) transported at no less than 8 weeks of age. > >It was decided that this rule would be more efficient and may get >to the public quicker than a rule that just applied to ferrets. >We have not made any further decisions on the health certificate >issue, but hope to include in with another rule in the future. > >Hope this clears up the confusion. My response to him: >Thank you for your quick reply. > >I understand simply adding an 8 week requirement to the general >warm blooded mammal section may be expedient. However, as I stated >below, it does not address the specific needs of ferret, which were >outlined in great detail in our original petition, and in the many >letters that were sent to the USDA on this issue. > >A large number of ferret lovers devoted a great deal of time in >expressing their concerns and presenting information to the USDA. >Very little opposition to ferret specific regulations was expressed. >It is the agency's responsibility to the public to address these >issues in a timely and complete fashion. > >I hope my concerns will be presented to those who are making this >decision. Linda Iroff International Ferret Congress http://www.ferretcongress.org [Posted in FML issue 5322]