When Michigan legalized ferrets in 1994, the law made it mandatory that
"A person who sells or transfers a ferret shall furnish a ferret health
information sheet provided by the director to the person to whom a ferret
is sold or transferred".  This includes Michigan pet stores.  (I'll note
here that you will rarely find a pet store in Michigan who DOES provide
this Ferret Health Advisory Sheet; and they are, therefore, in violation
of the Michigan Ferret Law Act 358 of 1994.)
 
When that Ferret Health Advisory Sheet came out in 1994, the information
was vague and severely lacking real information ferret owners could
satisfactorily use.  To top it off, the picture on the cover of the
tri-fold was a black-footed ferret.  Nothing against the BFF but we're
talking about domesticated ferrets here, folks.
 
I'm very happy to announce the Michigan Dept. of Agriculture has revised
the Ferret Health Advisory Sheet with my recommendations.  You can visit
the State of Michigan Dept of Ag site and download the pamphlet.
Brochures
 
I'm also pleased that they've replaced the black-footed ferret with a
picture of just the cutest little sable ferret who happens to be sticking
his tongue out.  His name is Indiana and he was rescued from the
Huntington, Indiana, Humane Society in April 2003.  He was found in the
humane society weekend drop box at the age of 5-6 months, infested with
ticks, starving, unneutered and not descented.  He was taken to his new
"Aunt Rebecca's" house in Ft. Wayne where he was "de-ticked", bathed and
fed.  He was then transported to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to the West
Michigan Ferret Connection.  He was neutered but not descented.
 
I couldn't adopt Indy out.  He's my rough-and-tumble little boy .... my
little Dennis The Menace.  He's always got his little tongue sticking
out ... it's like his little trademark.  He "poofs" at social events (he
cleared a room at an Easter party last year and he practically cleared
out PETCO-Grand Rapids this past January).
 
Credit for the picture goes to Jennifer Deming of Photos With Flair.
 
Dee Gage
owner/operator, West Michigan Ferret Connection
co-founder, Midwest Ferret Fellowship
member, Michigan Dept of Agriculture Companion Animal Advisory Committee
[Posted in FML issue 4815]