L.I.F.E. mailed, faxed and emailed the following letter last night to HSUS presidentPaul Irwin. If/when we get a response, we will post it here. -- Howard <begin text> June 5, 1995 Paul Irwin, President Humane Society of the United States 2100 L. Street NW Washington, DC 20037 Dear Mr. Irwin: RE: Rachel Lamb on CBS The League of Independent Ferret Enthusiasts (L.I.F.E.), a national association of clubs and shelters working for the advancement and humane treatment of domestic ferrets, urgently requests clarification of statements made on the May 31 CBS Morning Show by HSUS official Rachel Lamb purporting to represent the position of the HSUS regarding the domestic ferret. The statements made by or attributed to Ms. Lamb and the HSUS by news reporter Hattie Kaufman in this news segment appeared to go far beyond the official October 1992 statement of HSUS policy on domestic ferrets and contained irresponsible distortions designed to poison the general public against these playful and affectionate companion animals. What we wish to know is whether her statements accurately reflect HSUS policy. If not, we believe you owe it to the community of domestic ferret owners and the public to state for the record that the views expressed were Ms. Lamb's, not those of the HSUS. Assertions attributed to Ms. Lamb and/or specifically portrayed by CBS as representing the position of the HSUS included the following: --"We do not support the legalization of ferrets in California and we have tried to stop and prohibit the ownership of ferrets in other states." (Ms. Lamb) "When it comes to ferrets, the Humane Society, famous for protecting animal rights, would rather see the rest of the country follow California's example [i.e. make domestic ferrets illegal]." (Kaufman) --"They [the Humane Society] believe ferrets that escape into suburban or rural settings do pose a real danger to small mammmals and birds." (Kaufman) --"We have files full of clips of children being severely bitten, severely mauled by ferrets." (Ms. Lamb) According to the October 1992 HSUS position statement on domestic ferrets, the Society "does not believe that ferrets are suitable pets for most people" and "recommends that children, particularly infants, never be left unsupervised with a ferret" but acknowledges that they can be kept humanely as companion animals ("it takes a special individual to adequately meet a ferret's special needs and provide humane care"). There is no reference to delegalization of domestic ferrets. Does the HSUS take donations from domestic ferret owners and use them to lobby for legislation banning ferret ownership everywhere? Ms. Lamb's allegation that domestic ferrets can escape into suburban or rural settings and "pose a real danger to small mammals and birds" is a bald untruth, as HSUS wildlife specialists can confirm: There are no feral colonies of domestic ferrets in the United States because domestic ferrets can't survive in the wild. In Ms. Lamb's view, the domestic ferret is thus both too vicious to be kept as a companion animal and too dangerous to "small mammals and birds" to be released into the wild. Does the HSUS believe there is no place for them in this world? What then does HSUS advocate as the "final solution"? Does it see the domestic ferret as a "throwaway species"? Ms. Lamb's statement that HSUS maintains "files full of clips of children being severely bitten, severely mauled by ferrets," seems to suggest domestic ferrets pose a disproportionately greater public health risk than dogs or cats. According to the Insurance Information Institute, 3.5 million dog bites are reported every year--half of them needing medical attention. The number of domestic ferret bites reported to authorities each year is minuscule by comparison. Does the HSUS not have "files full of clips of children being severely bitten" by dogs? Domestic ferret organizations including L.I.F.E. affiliate clubs and shelters have participated for the last 3 years in the Animal Care Expo, and HSUS has been happy to take their registration fees. The October 1992 policy statement acknowledges that HSUS-affiliated shelters around the country depend on "cooperation of knowledgeable ferret owners to assist with proper placement" of unwanted ferrets. All L.I.F.E. shelters implement spay/neuter prior to adoption. The overwhelming majority of the ferret community is trying very responsibly to be part of the solution not the problem in terms of unwanted animals, and shares the humane ideals on which HSUS was founded. Ms. Lamb's statements raise the question whether HSUS itself still espouses those ideals. We, the domestic ferret community, want to know whether HSUS endorses her statements and her views as portrayed by CBS. I look forward to your early and considered response. Sincerely, Howard Davis National Humane Affairs Coordinator League of Independent Ferret Enthusiasts cc: HSUS board members <end text> [Posted in FML issue 1217]