To everyone: The death of the three ferret martyrs should be the beginning of a renewed effort to change the existing laws and educate the public. Here are three clear victims for the media to see. It is important to note something here and now: To date this has been a local issue in the media. The references to NBC indicate the local affiliates and not NBC National news! We must make it a national interest story. CBS is still planning on doing their piece on the legalization effort in California. The NJ ferret slaughter is the perfect sidebar. However, I know for a fact, that unless a concerted effort is made in the same volume we contacted Gov. Whitman, they will not take an interest. I spent nearly the entire day on the phone contacting all three networks and CNN. The response was the same -- despite my repeated calls, "This sounds like a local story -- the affiliates will handle it." Fax CBS news with the following information: - The facts of the alleged biting. - The unusual manner of the Appellate Court overturning the Health Department and Lower Court. - The very strange warrant giving Mr. Kozak, the plaintiff, custody of the three ferrets. - The fact that ALL three ferrets were immunized. - The fact that THOUSANDS of people from around the nation contacted the Governor's office and other state agencies. - The fact that the majority of those people were contacted through either AOL or the Internet. In addition to CBS and the other networks -- flood the tabloid news programs like Inside Edition, American Journal, and Hard Copy with the above facts. A year or so ago, the tabloid news programs covered the story of an Akita dog in NJ who was scheduled to die for biting a little girl. They managed to create such a furor that the networks jumped on the story and managed to save the dog's life. If nothing else, write letters to Regis and Kathy Lee -- maybe we can get her to cry about the fuzzies. Lately, everytime she sheds a tear it makes national news. Everyone involved in the effort to save these fuzzies did a great job. We now have the opportunity to make their deaths mean something significant. Scott [Posted in FML issue 1599]