Otter: No, your not being maudlin or crazy. Everytime I look at the trusting faces of our 7 FLO members, and the faces of our cats, I keep wondering how on earth anyone can mistreat one. I know it goes on. Child and animal abuse. And I always wonder WHY??? Is it a power trip? Stupidity? No one will ever know the answer. I stand in the pet store near the fuzzies, and I'll hear kids talking about how neat it would be to have one, and I'll start 'grilling' them as to "Do you know......." I'm sure I've killed several sales (at least I hope so, considering what I was hearing). Our student worker here in the office, I've managed to talk him out of a ferret because of where he lives-a frat house full of guys that we all know not everyone would like a ferret. But how many more go out to people who don't give a damn, they think its just another toy to be discarded. Or someone who thinks they don't have to take care of them, just stick 'em in a cage, feed and water them, don't tend to their needs or wants. Who cares if it's sick, fed, watered--we bought it-it's ours to do with what we want. To people who take care of and love fuzzies its unimaginable. But then you go to the web page of the shelters, look at the babies turned in there, and your heart becomes broken and sick. You read the stories. You get furious and want to help them all. God knows I'd love to be able to send every shelter money, but I can't. I can only hold CJ, Randy, Dayna, Ferret Wise, Friends of Fuzzies, the list goes on and on, in the highest esteem---I stand in awe of them. Someone would bring me in a ferret like I've seen the pictures of, and somebody else would have to have bail money to get me out of jail after I slapped the snot out of them. How they do it is beyond my ken. My hat is still off to the attorney who rescued the baby and busted the cage up. Sounds like something my husband would do. There was a 'found' ferret in the paper over the weekend. I called to see if it had been claimed, and if not what would happen to the baby. They never got back to me, and now I keep wondering what happened to the poor thing. I want to go to the pet stores and rescue all the babies there, but I can't. Do I wonder what happens to them, do I worry over them? Damn skippy I do. How do I cope? By trying to talk to people in the pet stores when I see them observing ferrets, by taking care of mine, by everytime I can I light a candle at church and pray a lot. By talking to the folks here in FML. By telling myself that someday the so-called 'intelligent members' of the human race will wake up. Until that time, all you can do is do all you can to educate people. Anytime you need to let off steam and want to contact me, feel free. I know the need to talk about it. Rebecca & the other two human slaves The real bosses of the house: Socks-I'm the oldest leave me alone Kit-Ms. General of the FLO Genie--Ace spy Scully--Secret agent Suzy Derkins---war dancer extrordinaire (2nd in command to the General) Calvin--walrus butt--staff sergeant Mookie---Body surf me, mom!---When do I get a promotion??? Chewie, Dribble, Sarabi & Tigger--Meeeooww--this tape hurts-get us undone. ======================= Rebecca McFarlane Secretary Basic Medical Sciences School Veterinary Medicine Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907-1246 Phone: 765-494-8632 Fax: 765-494-0781 "Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup" [Posted in FML issue 2638]