Here are some more resolutions--use them in good health: * I will keep the following phone numbers next to every phone in my house: * My vet, including the after-hours number * Back-up emergency vet * Poison Control Hotline (see info at the end of this posting) * Local ferret shelter/rescue * I will keep my ferret's medical history, vet bills, and rabies tags together in a place where I can find them in a moment's notice * I will train my ferret(s) to come running when I whistle and when I squeak a loud toy * When planning my household's escape routes in case of fire or other emergency, I will consider how I can quickly and safely evacuate my pets. * I will practice ferret-proofing as an ongoing activity, not as a one-time event. * I will recognize that, as a ferret owner, I will be a magnet in my local community for people with ferrets and ferret-related problems. It is my responsibility, at the least: * to provide information freely and to the best of my knowledge * to acknowledge any deficits in my knowledge and to take steps to fill those gaps * to locate nearby shelters, rescues, and clubs which act in ferrets' interests, so that when I am consulted with a problem that I cannot solve, or with a ferret needing a home, I can direct people to those who can best serve them. * to serve as an example of a caring and responsible ferret owner * When drawing up my household budget, I will be sure to include having enough cash or credit on hand in case of a medical emergency for my pets. If at the end of the year my household is lucky enough to have been spared this expense, I will donate a portion of the budgeted amount to [fill in your own charity, eg. my local shelter, the KSU rabies study]. * I will take pictures of my pets frequently. * I will keep myself open each day to the infectious joy and curiosity of my pets. Happy New Year, and don't forget the black-eyed peas and Linatone. -- Lee, Mark, Black Francine, and Errata Stigmata ******************************************** Poison Control Center Info: [The following information is for the U.S.--do the Canadians on this list know whether they can access these numbers? If not, is there a similar center in Canada? For that matter, in Mexico? Europe? If so, please let me know. I will summarize and forward the list to rec.pets, alt.pets.ferrets, and the FML. Thanks, Lee -- [log in to unmask]] National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC) 1-900-680-0000 ($20/first 5 min, $2.95 each add'l min) 1-800-548-2423 ($30 flat rate on your credit card) -- if you call, have this information ready: sex, whether neutered, age, weight, chemical name of poison, signs or symptoms, amount ingested, how exposed, date and time of ingestion. [Posted in FML issue 1430]