Fairfax Journal Jan 25 by Mark Grossman 'Pet Owners Ferret Out Victory from
Supervisors'.
   Many Fairfax County ferret owners left Monday's Board of Supervisors meeting
with a sour taste in their mouths, despite gaining a victory that allows them
to keep the animals as pets.
   That's because the supervisors never allowed them to testify at a public
hearing before throwing out a proposed law banning county residents from owning
ferrets.  Instead, the supervisors directed county staff to study, then draft a
law allowing the county to seize a ferret after it has bitten someone so it can
be studied for rabies.
   The weasel-like animals must be killed before they can be tested for the
disease, which is fatal to humans if left untreated.
   "I'm disappointed I didn't get to speak," said Cathy Garby, a Burke resident
who owns three ferrets.  Garby was one of more than 25 speakers who asked to
testify Monday on the proposed law.
(some lines edited)  Garby said she'd fight any proposed county law that gives
officials power to take ferrets that have bitten someone.
   "Ferrets shouldn't be singled out," she said.  "It should happed with all
animals.
   After hearing county staff defend the proposed law, members of the board
decided ferret ownership posed little danger.
   When pressed by supervisors, a county health official said his staff has
found virtually no evidence that rabid ferrets live in the county.
   "We tested 17 ferrets and not one tested positive for rabies last year,"
said Dr. Dettinger, assistant director of health services in Fairfax County.
"There are no known cases of ferrets giving rabies to a human or other
animals." (some other stuff deleted)
 
     While we were successful, having provided the board members a great deal
of information before the meeting, The battle is not over.  I will now be
working toward ensuring the ferret is not discriminated against when the
proposed seizure law is open for public hearings.
     Following the meeting, I met with N. Marshall Meyers, General Counsel for
PIJAC (Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council) and advised him of this mailing
list.  He is much interested in gaining access to it as a means to move
information and thus to fight other efforts at ferret banning.  I cannot get
him access to my gateway.  Does anybody have any ideas.  He is located here in
the D.C, area.  I also met with some vets specializing in ferret diseases and
will post some information on Aleutians disease that I found disturbing.
                                                                          
[Posted in FML 0050]