My personal reaction to the horrible events in Washington is to try to do something, anything; I find it impossible to even think about what happened. Jackie's post about how she could hear the ferrets screaming is one of the most disturbing things I've heard. My heart goes out to Jean and the surviving ferrets. People have come up with many generous and wonderful ways to help, both on a physical and spiritual level--paying the vet bills, paying for medicine, sending money to Jean, arranging for grief counseling, making phone calls to the police and prosecutor's offices, remembering the ferrets on the rainbow bridge and memorial park websites, lighting candles to honor the little ones so brutally killed. My personal feeling is that all of these are very important, no one more than another. I feel that whatever people do has an effect. I also think that, while responding to an emergency is critical, whatever we can do to prevent something from happening is even more important. Someone posted about helping your local shelter. I also think that humane education for kids is vital. Teaching kids at a VERY early age to respect all creatures should not be taken lightly. Getting these programs into schools and after school programs is very important, along with passing laws to protect animals. These things are often time consuming and you may never see a 'direct' effect. But whatever we can do to prevent cruelty is better than dealing with it afterwards. And finally, a note of caution to anyone who is involved with helping others. I've been bitten and scratched many, many times by cats or ferrets who were frightened or may have been abused. But I think trying to help an abused animal is very different from trying to help a person who is really sick, even though that person may also have been abused. I don't even want to think about what kind of background this psychopath may have had, and I am sure many people genuinely tried to help him along the way. But sometimes a victim can become an abuser, and I would caution anyone trying on their own to help people-- especially adults--to be really careful. I don't mean this to sound condescending or overly obvious, or to try to discourage people from reaching out to others. I also don't mean this at all as a judgment in this particular case, but it's something I've been thinking about. I hope that people will continue to help in whatever way they feel is best. I know that help is still much needed and greatly appreciated. -- Ronnie DiComo Ralphie, Harry, Prince Charming, Merlin, Roxanne and Petunia's mom, grateful that they are healthy and safe From Merlin: "Did someone out there call me a sissy??? Lemme at him! I'll bite him on the neck and drag him around and then hide him under the kitchen cabinet!!" [Posted in FML issue 2148]