[Moderator's note: Forwarded with Sally Heber's permission. BIG] Dear Friends and Colleagues: Veterinarian and American Ferret Association member, Dr. Pamela Slack, died in a private airplane crash on May 4, 1999 somewhere over North Carolina in the early evening. Dr. Slack's sister, who is also a veterinarian and her technicians, are caring for her numerous pets. The AFA Symposium 2000, which will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2000, in conjunction with the AVMA meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, will honor her contributions to the advancement of ferret medicine. Funeral arrangements have not yet been set. Pamela M. Slack, D.V.M. Dr. Pamela M. Slack received her Veterinary degree Cum Laude from the Virginia-Maryland regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992. Benefiting from the recently instituted tracking program at that institution, she focused her education on exotic animal species early in her career, graduating with a zoo/wildlife concentration under the umbrella of government and corporate medicine. She received the Stubb's Award in Avian medicine in 1992. Her first veterinary position was as an Associate at the Alexandria Animal Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia. At this large (13 veterinarian) American Animal Hospital Association accredited facility, her job description encompassed establishing an avian and exotics service which would serve not only local clientele, but also provide regional referral services as well. Within two years this goal had been met. Dr. Slack currently worked at the Alexandria Animal Hospital as Director of the Avian and Exotics Service, which she established. She served as the Vice President for the Mid-Atlantic States Association of Veterinary Medicine, and was a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians, the American Ferret Association, the House Rabbit Society, the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association (for whom she served as a consultant for exotic species and sits on that committee), and the American Veterinary Medical Association. Recent speaking engagements have included presentations on rabbit and rodent medicine at her state's annual conference, as well as talks given to state and local avian groups and the American Ferret Association's annual Ferret Expo educational seminars, for which she has served as conference chairperson. She will be greatly missed. Freddie Ann Hoffman, M.D. Vice President American Ferret Association PO Box 255 Crownsville, Maryland 21032-0255 1-888-FERRET-1 [Posted in FML issue 2672]