Dear Readers, I have written to Margaret in reference to the Ferret Chain, and I would like to pass on my thoughts pubically about all the good intentions the chain is trying to do, and the backlash it could create. Has anyone ever thought of the high risk someone could be putting themselves in by being a reciepient of an open home to unknown people, and the only common thread is being a ferret owner? Unfortunately, in todays society, one must be careful of exposing themselves to un-needed danger of their lives, or prosessions, and taking in an unknown person could be setting themselves up for disaster, while there may be some good people out there, what about that one person who is not what they claim to be, or what we percieve them to be. Because one is a ferret lover, does not mean, that they are of good morals, or does not have a hidden history of something we normally wouldn't want to be part of, or be around. Just remember, safety of oneself, your children, your home and of course your ferret (s), should be the top priority. I work, my husband works I have 2 young children that are home alone at one point before I get home, I try to protect them from danger, BUT, what if a unsavory ferret owner is out there, and uses this chain for his/her benifit, that is not in accordance of what this is meant to be used for. Would a single woman, allow a unknown traveling man, stop and sleep over in her home just because he has a ferret? And vice versa, what chances would a man take in having a woman come to his home and sleep in his home, and not really know this woman, and find down the road, he has been summond with a warrent for something he did not do. And what makes it safer if a single woman is contacted by another woman, and will be "traveling" in her area with her ferret, and find out that the person lived in that area to begin with, but used it as an excuse, and with address and phone number in hand, shows up to this persons door to do harm, and it was actually a man? And remember, Women are known to commit crimes as well. Please, as much as I like people, and love to have company, we must find another way of making a great idea even safer. The chain sounds good, but I would hate to hear that a good person is harmed or lost through someone elses evil mind. Please, I don't want any flame, I have been toying with this idea for along time, and felt I had to write my views. Marti [Posted in FML issue 1850]