Check out the link below to see that the city of Garland, Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth) has finally updated their website to reflect the city council's February 17 vote to adopt a revamped animal code that makes it legal to own a ferret in that city. The previous code specifically prohibited ferrets. There are some requirements to be met, primarily rabies vaccination, registration, and sterilization, along with a home inspection and annual permit fee. The permit is, however, an address permit allowing any number of ferrets at the specified address. A small step forward in the patchwork of Texas legalization efforts. http://www.ci.garland.tx.us/animal/cogord.htm The status of quarantining ferrets involved in potential rabies exposure incidents is still in flux. Existing rules indicate a 30-day quarantine. Since the compendium came out, a proposal to include ferrets along with dogs and cats for a 10-day quarantine has been introduced. It has not yet been adopted. The earliest possible date for adoption is in mid-June. To review the proposal, see: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/archive/January301998/PROPOSED/health- services.html#121 for proposal text. For the exisiting text, see: http://lamb.sos.state.tx.us/tac/25/I/169/index.html Please note that James H. Wright has informed me of their intent to delete the definition of "shelter" and its use from the proposal due to the comments they received against its inclusion. I spoke against the inclusion of shelters as well as I felt that the definition would have included anyone who rescues, fosters, or shelters animals. It was broad enough and placed strict enough requirements that few if any private individuals would have been able to participate in rescuing without risking a violation of these rules. Texas code also did not give that kind of broad authority to the Department of Health. The authority for these rules only really allowed for definition of rabies quarantine facilities. Again, it will be at least mid-June before any final rules could be adopted. Debra Thomason Ferret Lovers' Club of Texas, D/FW [Posted in FML issue 2322]