Posted with permission.
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I am greatly relieved to see the USDA considering possible amendments
to the Animal Welfare Act to provide protection for ferrets.
 
Currently, domestic ferrets are thought by many to be the 3rd most
popular domestic house pet, behind the cat and the dog.  Sadly, the
protection afforded to them by the Animal Welfare Act does not take
into account the specific biological, physiological, and social needs
of this animal in a manner consistent with other household pets.  As a
result, ferrets are commonly being shipped to pet stores - already
spayed/neutered, descented, and vaccinated - at an age younger than they
would even naturally be weaned.
 
I examined nearly 100 ferrets upon arrival over a several month period at
several pet stores near Bangor, Maine.  In the course of my physical
exam, I found approximately 30% of the ferrets to be ill enough to be
classified as "unfit for sale".  I witnessed animals that were estimated
to be as young as 5 weeks of age at the time of arrival for sale.  The
conditions that I noted included prolapsed rectums, unhealed and
infected surgical incisions, congenital malformations, pneumonia, upper
respiratory infections, severe diarrhea, and starvation/emaciation.  In
addition, the toll of behavior changes associated with inappropriately
early weaning and shipping prior to the emergence of adult dentition
include nipping, biting, and hyperactivity.  This combination of health
problems and behavior problems results in the relinquishment of animals
to already overburdened shelters.  Many of these problems could be
corrected with an older age at weaning and shipping, and standardized
requirements for basic care.
 
One of my personal ferrets, now famous for his "testimony" before the
State of Maine during the hearings for the "8-week Rule" adopted there,
nearly died during shipment/re-sale.  I was shopping at the local pet
store for supplies, and a conscientious store clerk pulled me aside to
let me know that a very sick ferret, slated to be "snake food" that
evening, would be in the back seat of my car when I left - would I please
take care of him and euthanize him if he was suffering.  I went outside
to find an unconscious, barely breathing tiny white ferret in my car.  He
was approximately 5 weeks old and only had baby teeth.  I rushed him to
my hospital, where my staff slowly warmed his body temperature and began
to nourish him.  Within 12 hours, he had regained consciousness - and
within 2 weeks, was a normal kit again.  Fortunately, someone cared
enough about him to bring him through.  How many ferrets need to suffer
and die before standards are set for their protection?
 
The Animal Welfare Act MUST be amended to protect not only the ferrets,
but also the consumers.  People buy these ferrets, assuming that they are
getting a healthy, fully weaned animal.  Instead, they are taking home
kits that have baby teeth, need softened food, and are so biologically
stressed from their early weaning and surgeries that they have often
fallen prey to multiple illnesses.  Pet stores, unfortunately, also
suffer because they need to deal with these unhappy customers and these
sick animals.  Shelters wind up taking in the animals needing medical and
behavioral care when the consumers are no longer willing or able to work
with the ferrets.  And, of course, the ferrets are the ultimate losers in
this equation.
 
What would I like to see done to protect these popular pets?
-Allow no animal to be shipped from the breeder prior to 8 weeks of age,
 as evidenced by the emergence of adult dentition.
 
-Set humane shipping standards, maintaining animals within a natural
 thermoneutral zone (air temperature, not cooled with gel packs as
 is currently the norm).  Ensure that they are provided adequate
 non-spillable food, water, and bedding to last the duration of their
 trip plus allow for travel delays.
 
-Require that a health certificate be issued for each and every
 animal to be shipped, not a litter certificate.
 
-Require that surgical incisions be healed and that the animal be free
 of all apparent disease prior to transport.
 
-Provide for minimal care standards for all animals maintained on a
 ferretry.
 
These requests are minimal, basic requests which fall under the existing
scope of the Animal Welfare Act.  Not providing species- specific
requirements covering ferrets is contrary to both the language and
Congressional intent of the Animal Welfare Act.
 
I would be happy to discuss this matter further.  It is a petition that
is too long in the coming.  Every day that we delay, more animals die
of neglect and ignorance.  Protecting the ferrets provides a win- win
situation - for the consumer, the pet stores, and of course, the ferrets.
 
Sincerely,
Sandra C. Kudrak, DVM, DABVP
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For more information, go to http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 4971]