Several very well prepared and somewhat apprehensive members of the Mass Friends of the Domestic Ferret Group attended the hearings before the Fish and Wildlife Commission yesterday afternoon and spoke in favor of the proposed regulations which will put the law passed last December into force. The vote was unanimous to accept the regulations as summarized below. The Public Health and Food and Agriculture departments in the state had earlier asked that a strong warning listing certain alleged hazards be required to be included with each animal, but this was denied on the grounds that no such material is required for the sale of any other pet. HOORAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!! So...... We are all that much closer, and still find ourselves with much work to do in order to help March 7th and the following weeks go as smoothly as possible. If you would have just a bit of time to spare, say in visiting your local pet store(s) or veterinarian to talk about ferrets, and providing them with some materials. Give us a call on the Hot line in Mass (617) 224-1098. We love to hear especially from those of you in the western part of the state. Briefly summarized, the regulations do the following: 1. Permit possession as a household pet, for education, for research, for breeding (by a licensed breeder), or for sale. 2. They must have received inoculations against canine distemper and rabies at time of purchase by an educational institution, or as a household pet. 3. They must be neutered and spayed unless for breeding or research. 4. To be sold for use as a household pet they must be accompanied by a certificate at the time of sale from a veterinarian certifying Neutering, spaying, and inoculations. 5. The two most recent certificates of inoculation must be kept by any person possessing a ferret. 6. Unlawful to possess a ferret which has not obtained the minimum age for inoculations. 7. Unlawful to liberate or allow any ferret to escape into the wild. 8. Unlawful to hunt with a ferret. 9. Unlawful too have a ferret in one's possession in any field, forest, or woodland where wild birds or mammals may be found. 10. To fail to keep proper records of neutering, spaying and inoculations, or to refuse to provide them to any Environmental Police Officer. 11. Penalties are the possible seizure of the animal and disposal to the "best interest of the Commonwealth." 12. A ferret biting a person or another animal may be quarantined for such period as deemed appropriate or when deemed necessary in the professional judgement of the Director, may be seized and destroyed without liability for rabies testing. 13. Ferrets imported into Massachusetts as a personal pet, or for shows, exhibitions etc. for a period not exceeding two weeks are exempted from the requirement for neutering and spaying. - Bill Williamson [Posted in FML issue 1492]