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Dear Sara,

Regulations change, but one thing that became clear to us back in
1988 when working on the Carnegie Science Center, is that it can be better
to look like a zoo, than a laboratory.  There are countless regulations 
governing labs - some to protect the animals; even more to protect people
from animals that may be infected in the course of research or testing.
There
can be a lot of reporting involved.

Your correspondent mentioned USDA regulations, and they may be OK,
but again, regulations for farm animals are largely directed towards human
health.

Zoos keep animals for about the same reasons as you will, so the regulatory
environment surrounding them should suit you.

When we needed some animals in Pittsburgh, we  borrowed them from the
zoo there, and it proved a very pleasant and fruitful relationship.  You
might
consider affiliating with a zoo.   They know lots about keeping animals for
human contact and educational purposes, and tend to share information 
generously - and will often give you things like meal worms and other 
self-regenerating live foodstuffs enjoyed by some of our fellow creatures.

The only hazard for me was when the zoo Director told me that the reason 
that the lion sat nobly on top of the hill that they had made for it, was
because 
there was an electrically heated rock on top.  I laughed until I could
hardly 
breathe; it seemed to epitomize all the flim flam that masquerades as 
grandeur and nobility, in this world.

Please say Hi! to Sharon for me.

Good luck!

Peter Anderson

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