To Rudy the ferlosopher... Could you please e-mail me privately your home mailing address - I used a posting of yours in my last issue of STAR* Ferrets and want to send you a copy. Re comment on your concern about if/when ferrets become legalized in MA and CA, the paranoia of people calling in rashes of bite incidents... it hasn't happened. People who own ferrets when they are legalized still have a BIG job ahead of them and educate the public before the law could be recended due to stupidity. People who are bitten by their own animals "know" they don't have rabies, so don't report the incident, but sometimes give up the animal. MI has had only a few bite incidents and they are mainly due to people getting ferrets from a fur farm source (mink farmers gone to ferret breeding due to the fur industry drying up). There will always be the fear of seizure if your ferret bites someone, until the rabies shed study is complete (the first phase is complete and we hopfully will know the results in October.), even in states where ferrets have always been legal. EDUCATION is so important. THAT is why we need to keep up at the HSUS and CBS: PLEASE complain to the HSUS about their very one sided anti-ferret campaign which was aired on CBS on 5/31/95. Write to: Paul Irwin, executive director (e-mail: [log in to unmask]) Rachel Lamb, companion animals (e-mail: [log in to unmask]) Humane Society of the United States 2100 L Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037 tel 202-452-1100 fax 202-778-6132 Ask about dog bite and dog related death reports. Ask about where the parents of that child were at the time of the "attack" on the infant. Ask how a "humane" society can single out a specific pet, to be descriminating against ferrets, when they have so few rabid cases (15 since 1958). The only animal with less of a biting problem than ferrets are guinie pigs. Tell your good stories, Let the HSUS know that they will not be receiving a contribution from you until they change to a positive position on ferrets. Send them photos with ferrets and children and babies Send photos of ferrets playing with other pets. SEND LOTS OF LETTERS!!!! MAKE LOTS OF CALLS!!! MAKE THEIR FAX MACHINE RUN OUT OF PAPER!!!! LET THE HSUS KNOW THAT THERE ARE 1110+ UPSET PEOPLE OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, don't forget to tell CBS just what you think of their "journalism". Hattie Kauffman, reporter Andy Jones, segment producer Ingrid Cipriani-Matthes, senior producer CBS This Morning CBS Broadcast Center 524 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019 tel. 212-975-2824 fax 212-925-2115 Thank you for your support. Pam Grant STAR* Ferrets [Posted in FML issue 1217]