Dateline: Kansas Today, the first ferret step on the road to freedom was taken here. Before the State Senate Subcommittee on Public Health and Welfare, Troy Lynn Eckart of Ferret Family Services testified on behalf of Kansas ferrets. The occasion was the introduction of her bill to the state legislature to declare ferrets domestic companion animals in Kansas and give them firm legal status and protection under the law. Troy Lynn, who works for KSU, has the advantage of the entire Kansas State Veterinarian Library at her disposal. Working around the clock for months in preparation for this day, she has assembled every known piece of information, domestic and european, on rabies in relation to ferrets. Troy Lynn, accompanied by her veterinarian, her 11 year old neighbor and a big teddy bear male ferret, presented her case concisely and eloquently. Her ferret won the hearts of the committee, not to mention everyone else that he came into contact with. Speaking in OPPOSITION to ferrets being declared domestic companions in Kansas were the State Epidemiologist, DR. ANDREW PELLETIER, and DR. DEBORAH BRIGGS from Kansas State University Foundation Research Ferret Project. Dr Pelletier presented the "latest- 1991(his words, believe it or not!)" CDC compendium on rabies which states that ferrets are wild animals -- but Troy Lynn had provided the current 1994 edition in her packet - which does not. One of the witnesses for the State said the only problem with IMRAB was that it was only 89% effective in ferrets, thereby presenting an unacceptable risk -- but Troy Lynn had provided the effective percentages in other animals -- and when questioned by State Senators, the witnesses had to admit that in dogs it was only 88% effective. And so it went all morning. The Senate committee members, armed with Troy Lynn's information packet, gradually shot holes in the opposition, sometimes letting them dig their own. Once it is out of committee, the bill will find its way (carefully monitored by Troy Lynn) to the two legislative houses. Before each vote, she has a Ferret Awareness day planned in which she and other ferret owners will take their best teddy bear ferrets and criss-cross the five floors of the state capitol, bearing good will and information. She will be putting her own story into words-- how she did it and what is involved-- for the April issue of the VOICE. To say that Troy Lynn won a major battle today is to vastly understate the incredibly effective, brilliant case that she made. I'm proud to know you Troy Lynn. --Ann Davis [Posted in FML issue 0754]