Since there have been questions as to what the Morris Animal Foundation is and does: it is a long standing charitable foundation which has its administrative costs paid for by an administration fund so 100% of donations goes to helping animals of all kinds receive improved veterinary care, or (as is the situation right now with ferrets for which the major US rabies vector species (skunk, bat, raccoon, fox) have/are being studied) helps reduce other needless deaths. Right now we have a situation in which just one state alone (Michigan) has sacrificed (strange word since I doubt those ordering death sacrificed at all) in less than a year more ferrets for fear of rabies than have been used in all the U.S. and European rabies shedding studies combined over many years. Knowing the shedding times and possibilities for the common strains of rabies will give ferret activists and their legislators the ammunition to get quarantine times imposed instead of sacrifice in a number of states. Steve and I happen to live in one which may well move to quarantine given the hard work of Ela, Anne, and all they work with combined with the hard data these studies provide). Will there still be areas in which officials won't listen to reason? Yes. Still, in many states they will and the current results being awaited ARE deemed essential in those parts for saving many ferret lives since the strain now being studied accounts for almost all the cases in humans in the U.S.; therefore, this answer could get the legislation we need to eliminate death for hundreds of ferrets each year in many states. Because of it's potential for saving a HUGE number of ferrets' lives this is considered by MAF to be a priority study so it is also receiving some General Fund monies. In the past MAF has also funded or helped to fund studies of anemia and some cancers in ferrets which have improved care for all our fuzzies, and I know it will do so in the future as per a recent communication. (We give to the Ferret Fund there regularly in memory of FML ferrets which have died of any causes.) You may reach them at 45 Inverness Drive East, Englewood, CO 80112-5480. Please, note that the foundation does not do studies itself; rather a panel of veterinarians selects studies in research facilities such as veterinary program in universities for funding. Sukie [Posted in FML issue 2095]