http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20090115/NEWS01/901150310 Segments of the article: >VINELAND -- A phony, cross-dressing veterinarian might have duped >dozens of pet owners throughout South Jersey and beyond >... >To exotic-pet lovers in the area, Dr. Danielle Smith was a >knowledgeable, caring veterinarian who made house calls, gave pet >inoculations and also operated an animal rescue >... >But authorities say Smith is really a 32-year-old alleged con man >named Daniel C. Tyce, who dressed as a woman and possibly scammed pet >lovers across the region out of thousands of dollars, even putting >phony collection cans -- for a rescue that didn't exist -- in area >stores. > >Police learned of Tyce's phony animal rescue and bogus veterinary >business after a Vineland woman who had used his services for her pets >alerted them, according to Vineland police Detective Lt. Thomas >Ulrich. > >Vineland police arrested Tyce on Friday >... >For about two years, Tyce and another man ran a business called "South >Jersey Small Animal Rescue," which Tyce claimed was a nonprofit. >Authorities said the business actually was not a registered nonprofit, >nor was it an above-board operation. > >Through the Web site, Tyce solicited donations and offered "rescued" >reptiles, ferrets, birds and other animals for adoption. > >... Tyce, posing as Smith, dressed in women's clothing and sometimes >wore an official-looking police-style uniform complete with a badge, >handcuffs, pepper spray and a police baton, according to police and >the woman who turned Tyce in. He also drove a white Jeep Cherokee >with "Animal Cruelty Investigations" printed on the side. >... >Vineland police and officers from the state Division of Fish and >Wildlife served a search warrant at Tyce's apartment in Atlantic >City -- where his phony business apparently was based -- last week, >Ulrich said. There, they found no animals, but seized computer >equipment, he said. > >... Cappellucci said she now believes Tyce actually sold on Craigslist >the animals he "rescued" posing as Smith. >... >Cappellucci started having her own doubts about "Smith" and did >some sleuthing of her own. She learned "Smith" was not a licensed >veterinarian. > >Cappellucci contacted Vineland police Dec. 24... There is a LOT more in the article Sukie (not a vet) Recommended ferret health links: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/ http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/ http://www.ferretcongress.org/ http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html [Posted in FML 6215]