AFA can spend their money any way they want to, and it's really lovely
that they are choosing to help shelters with spaying and neutering.
They can even limit dispersal of those funds any way they want to and
it's still lovely. However, disqualifying shelters that have used the
quick test in good faith is NOT a matter of "maintaining standards."
More like an opportunity to extend control, or perhaps punish. Think
about it. We know that the quick test has been used in good faith to
control the spread of ADV, because they are sold to shelters. Shelters
that actually PAY for and use these tests are obviously NOT trying to
avoid responsibility. If there is any significant danger in this test,
then it is good this issue is coming up. Still, the only effect of
disqualifying these shelters is to impose further hardship on the
shelters and ferrets by punishing them, and (if the test really is
that bad) to increase the likelihood that ADV positive ferrets will
BREED. Now, how does that maintain any sort of reasonable standard?

Furthermore, if the problem is with spit tests in general (as opposed
to blood tests), then it is inconsistent to disqualify only the quick
test and not both kinds. The only explanation I can think of for
allowing one spit test and not another in a case like this would be
outside control/oversight if there were a suspicion of fraud. (There
may be other explanations--this is just the most likely one that I can
think of if both kinds of spit test are unreliable.) Shelters date and
label their own quick tests; labs and vets label and date all others.
I think that's what AFA is really trying to control.

And that's OK, because after all it is their money. They can give funds
only to people with green hair if they want to and it's still very nice
of them. I just hate to see shelters that have been doing their best,
spending time and money on testing they've been told is effective, put
down by the AFA, accused of bringing down standards or not making a
good faith effort to keep ferrets healthy.

[Posted in FML 5754]