Hi all . . . I'm wondering about copyrights--particularly the newspaper article deleted from post in 10/31 fml. Isn't an article from a newspaper from 1995 essentially "out of print" ? I'm thinking that you can go into any library and make photocopies of any newspaper w/o a problem. It's not as if the issue is currently on sale anywhere (unlike a book or current journal) or that the newspaper would request a fee for use of the article . . . Of course, I could be wrong. I know I used some journal quotes in some of my posts . . . and I think it's ok as long as the source is listed. I didn't reproduce the entire article, tho'--and maybe that's where the difference lies. Hmm . . . I just wonder if the same rules apply to newspapers as to other materiel. I have an interest in the article as I'm writing myself a research grant in hopes of doing some extensive research into the issue of ferrets biting childen, esp. the care and treatment of the ferrets before the biting incident. My premise is that if the animals had a history of good temperament, were properly cared for, and properly supervised, the bite should not have happened. I think the safest way to "properly supervise" a ferret in a household with small children is to cage it at night and pay attention when it is loose. (It's hard to pay attention when you're asleep!) We cage our ferret at night just to keep the little guy out of trouble, but when we're home, his cage door is open. A few problems at our house: Our dog, a pit-bull/lab, was raised with ferts and is good with them, for the most part. She does not, however, tolerate any fert bugging her while she's eating, and Pepper hasn't caught on to this yet. Which means I have to watch him carefully while the dog eats, so he doesn't get his little head in big trouble--like dog jaws. The problem is that the dog will share her water dish and even allow Pepper to steal her food--AS LONG AS SHE ISN'T EATING AT THE TIME. Pepper runs a pretty high risk of injury when he attacks the dog's butt while she's munching! So if you're introducing ferrets and dogs, watch carefully for warning signs and territorial rights . . . and figure out if there are specific things the dog won't tolerate. I've had Harley (dog) for 4 years--I can tell when she's getting stressed from the ferret bugging her and needs the solitude of the bedroom. If you're planning to get a pup to add to a houseful of ferts: Look for a pup that is outgoing, but don't pick the most aggressive or the most cowardly. Watch terrier breeds too--many of them are instinctive "ratters"--we got lucky with Harley somehow. Her mom was a lab, for sure, and we were told her dad was a golden retriever--as a puppy this was believable. As an adult, it is not. Vet said she's got pit-bull coloring, body-type, jaw grip . . . we would have never purposely got a pit-bull to have with ferrets, but luckily it all worked out fine. She's good with ferts, but because of her nervousness and the crushing grip of her jaws, we never leave the animals together unsupervised. Oh, we don't leave the dog unsupervised with children either, for the same reasons, even though she loves children. If she's cornered, she'll snap out of fear. 'nuff said. --Sherri [Posted in FML issue 1739]