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Member Submissions
I found this article on DrsFosterSmith.com, and thought you would appreciate reading it. Famous Ferrets!
Ferrets are making their way onto your television screens! In the past twenty years, ferrets have been featured or have made appearances in television shows, commercials, and movies.
sandra jo
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Someone is having too much fun.
- I love this picture! |
More About the EIR Study
For those of you new to CLIFFNotes, we have been approached about a $50,000 donation and we are investigating using the money to conduct an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) as outlined by Governor Schwarzenegger in his veto message of a ferret amnesty bill.
Serious questions have been asked about how the study will be done and the value of the study. One person asked:
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" I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong here, but one of the first things (the consultant) will do as part of his research will be to compile an annotated bibliography. This will be a compilation of the information that is out there...the research that has been done. It won't be NEW research...it will be S.O.S. (same 'ol s)." |
Our consultant answered:
"The concern is valid, but outside the scope of what I proposed. I would definitely compile an exhaustive bibliography on the species, but I am not proposing hands-on research. I am proposing to update the 1999 Nationwide Ferret Survey of State Wildlife Agencies using the same methods as Jurek & Ryan (1999). This would form the basis of the EIR that would be prepared after this study is completed. I would perform the study in my role as a professor at SacState, and the study would be published by through the Dept. of Biological Sciences.
I agree that the New Zealand issue is important, but I'm not proposing any work there. If blood samples can be obtained from the New Zealand polecats, I can arrange to have their DNA analyzed to determine if, and how, they are related to domesticated ferrets...."
Our proposed consultant (who I don't wish to identify yet) further said that research done on his letter head or by his organization would have an easier time as being recognized as scientifically sound and unbiased.
Rest assured there are patient and practical people working on this and nothing will be done until we have all our questions answered. Also, I will push for the answers and details so this project has what it needs to proceed. Below is a quote from a member of our team:
THERE IS ALWAYS TIME TO DO IT OVER-NEVER TIME TO DO IT RIGHT! However-for
something like this- doing it wrong may mean the END OF THE ROAD!!
Below is a letter we received and I am reprinting it here it with permission. I like to get opinons and I won't refute. -But please understand - I have people telling me not to publish anything. We know the opposition reads this. But if I don't keep people informed who would want to read CLIFFNotes and get involved or join the 3000 Club? I don't want to keep people in the dark but there is some information that I won't put out in CLIFFNotes such as the name of our consultant.
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My name is Chris and I am a proud owner of a business of four and growing. I read CLIFFNotes every week and enjoy some of the more informative articles you have posted. Lately though it seems you have been getting off track and maybe even too emotional. Now don't get me wrong, your heart is in the right place, but brawling with or calling out experts in the ferret field after posting some sound advice may not be the way to rally the troops. We have heard a great deal about your quest for this imposing CEQA study and how to spend an imaginary $50,000. What we haven't heard enough of are the scientists in the field and in the lab who know the facts and the processes that must be taken. After reading the quoted text of Bob Church's advice I was a bit taken aback that his advice "ruffled you feather." His advice was infact sound, honest, and scientifically educated (regardless of his chosen place of residence) advice not to be take lightly or with a grain of salt. You seem to be more caught up in impressing this "Phantom Donor," whom might I add has not actually given you any money, with your "fight, fight, fight," attitude. Was Mr. Church's advice considered at all? You've made it clear that you are upset with his opinion yet did not validate that he had some good points. Your organization has gone head on at the CDF&G before and gotten knocked back with bureaucratic rubbish with no retort and no other plan but to attempt to prove they are in the wrong. I feel your fighting a losing battle and making a bad reputation for the rest of use in the process. Being a stubborn person myself, I know, the last thing they're going to do if you call them "liars" is help you out.
I feel Bob Church has given you some extremely sound advice which has come from a credible source. You won't be able to rip the tobacco funds records out of the hands of the CDF&G but you can disprove the claims in these records. You will not be able to beat them in a fair fight (via propositions or bills) because government organizations don't fight fair. Furthermore, you complain about lack of funds but you are willing to throw $50,000 to the wind and hope it doesn't blow away. Why aren't you seeking the advice of more experts on this issue. If you are, where are the responses or correspondence? Why are you so eager to have this done today? I know my ferrets will be alive in a couple of years (fate willing) when more information and funding will win their freedom. I also know my ferrets won't miss going out of the house mainly because they'll never leave the house anyway. Ferrets are much too curious, mischievous, and intelligent to be taking on walk like a dog and they sure won't stay in a carrier without tearing a hole in the side. Any responsible ferret owner will leave their beloved family members in safe confines before leaving the house, not because they're illegal, but because they are a danger to them selves.
In conclusion, I am proud that there are people like you and the rest of Ferrets Anonymous and O.C. Ferrets that are willing to stand up for our pet of choice. I don't think discounting and speaking ill of one of our greatest SCIENTIFIC supporters is going to win us any battles. We need all the help and advice we can get, no matter our ego. What ferret owner really need is sound knowledge on ferret care, treatment, safety, responsibility, and respect. After all an ignorant ferret owner was probably the one that got us all in this mess anyways (not a government agency protecting its land).
Thank You For Your Time,
Christopher M
P.S. I read in a past issue of CLIFFNotes that there are a great deal of ferret products on the market (not that I had to read that) and that a great percentage of the sales come from California. Has it occurred to anyone to pursue a lobbyist for these companies and maybe get a corporate backing on a bill, proposition, study, or donation?
(reprinted with permission) |
Time To Join the 3000 Club ?
Back toward the end of 2005 we established the 3000 Club to see if there was enough support to launch a ballot initiative to legalize ferrets. We figured if 3000 people would join by paying $10 and collecting 100 signatures we had a shot at it. Alas, we commissioned Field Research to conduct a poll, and much to my horror, only 38% of Californians said they'd vote to legalize ferrets. That pretty much killed the idea of an initiative.
We spent the last few months thinking of what kind of strategy would work. We searched for a legislative sponsor but no legislator will touch this issue. It is seen as unimportant with a long string of failures in its past.
A $50,000 gift along with an EIR showing no environmental or health impact from legalized ferrets would give our effort a tremendous boost. -I think we are going to get both.
But what about the 3000 Club? We aren't going to ask you to collect signatures but we will probably ask you to write letters when the time comes. But it is still important that people join because we do still need to have a standing army of help at the ready. The distribution list and readership for this newsletter continues to grow but we still need more participation.
| Ten Most Recent Members of the 3000 Club |
519. Patrick Baird, Great MIlls MD
520. andsal, El Cajon CA
521. Tiffanylovesferrets, Lemoore CA
522. Stefan Hulce, Long Beach CA
523. Jennifer Urda, Houston TX
524. Gretchen1971, Verdugo City CA
525. my fuzzies are trouble!, Chula Vista CA
526. luckymom, Oceanside CA
527. lorinterp, Citrus Heights CA
528. catsdigme, San Francisco CA
529. Charliesmom, Saratoga CA |
I still get a few members every week. People sometimes join but the $10 doesn't come over. I delete their membership but send them CLIFFNotes.
CLIFFNotes is emailed out to about 2700 people every week and I know about 600 people open the email. We advertise on Google Ad Words and pick up new subscribers and people.
I would dearly like to see new people send in the ten dollars and join the 3000 Club.
In Conclusion...
Send in your ferret photos, videos and stories.
Staying connected is what keeps us strong.
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