Heard this morning from Fran L'Heureux and from Dick Bossart (who heard from Bob L'Heureaux, bill sponsor) that the New Hampshire ferret legislation has now also passed their senate. Now it's just up to that state's governor to sign it (and he's been pro-ferret so far) and all New Hampshire's ferrets will be safe once it goes into effect. (Until now vaccinated ones with a known past were safe, but not the others.) CONGRATULATIONS, NEW HAMPSHIRE! New Jersey: Anne Ryan and I are following up on TWO ferrets in a pound. OKAY! I got to erase all the stuff we were doing on that because it's just been resolved so now we just need to get people to the Edison pound to adopt them within the week. One source said the pound was planning to destroy them on it's own, and the other said that the local health office had ordered them destroyed. Having them hear from Dr. Campbell of the State Health Dept. (a good guy) cut through that like a hot knife through butter, as did realizing that they were being watched. Had to move fast on this one -- one of the ferrets was described by a vet hospital worker (from the brief no-touching glimpse she was permitted) as either a possible adrenal or a possible in-heat situation, and since anemia is such a killer with the second possibility... Here's a national way to help protect your ferrets and other pets. As you already know most forms of research need animals from known sources to reduce variables, but some (like the cosmetic industry) don't for many studies. Unfortunately, sometimes pets find their ways into such labs, with theft being a known source. In an effort to have more ability to discourage this practise and provide more legal punch to put people who do this behind bars and to remove their licences Rep Canady (R-FL) of the U.S. House of Representatives (Washington, D.C. 20515, [log in to unmask] -- you can also use this info to find and encourage your own Rep. to vote yes for this bill) has introduced HR594 which would prohibit Dept. of Agriculture licensed dealers from selling animals from "random sources" to research institutions for experimentation. Sukie [Posted in FML issue 2337]