Yes sad to say ferrets have been used for many years in the research
labs . The commercial ferret farms supply them, pet ferrets are just
one part of their sales. From what I understand, many times a drug or
product is required to be tested on (x) number of animals before it can
be licensed in the U.S. Many researchers feel the amount of animals
required is much more than is needed to prove a valid point but they
are obligated to do it if they want the stamp of approval. It seems
animals are a disposable commodity in this environment. It is quite a
nasty life for all of the animals, mostly dogs and mice/rats.
Nancy
[Posted in FML 6299]