>From:    Dianne Rohowicz <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: ferrets in Oz ...
>
>Yes, the main reason is to do with diseases ferrets can carry .....
>Australia is also an island and other than distemper we do not have
>any known contagious diseases here .... no TB, Rabies, ECE, Aleutians,
>etc. and for the good of all it is better to try & keep it that way.

This needs to be addressed. It was said that 'a breeder' on North
Island, NZ, imported ferrets that were diseased: true...the breeder
imported Australian ferrets to breed to the NZ Polie's....which then
introduced the disease (Aleutians{ADV}) that Australia swore for
several years, did not exist in their country. (They finally admitted
that yes, Aleutians, **WAS* in Australia.) This was borne painfully
out, when many of the ferrets **I** imported from this breeder,
developed Aleutians in the course of their lives, which caused
widespread problems to private breeders here in the States, who
purchased these ferrets as breeding stock and now had to shut down
or curtail their operations, in order to curtail the spread of ADV.
(Which they did, very effectively!!)

One the boys came back to me before he was diagnosed with ADV, as
he was just too wild...eventually Bancho tamed down and became my
favorite..intelligent, loving, but could have a temper tantrum.....
who would have guessed, a ferret having a tantrum, but he would.....
specially when he was outside and it was time to come in. He was worse
than any of my grandchildren! But...a word from me and he then sulked
and obeyed and came in with no more fussing....He never did test
positive for ADV, but he died of all the classic problems associated
with a ferret with ADV. Because of all the reports of others of his
family that came into the States, testing positive for ADV, I declared
my house ADV positive and would not allow any ferrets into the house as
'guests', nor would I let visitors handle my ferrets, *IF* they were
owned by ferrets.

To close, I say this: The NZ breeder had no inkling the ferrets that
were shipped to the U.S had ADV.....we all took Australia's Ministry of
Health's (Or what ever they are called) written word on their health
certificates as proof the ferrets imported from Australia were disease
free. How were we to know differently? Both the breeder/exporter in
New Zealand and I felt very badly about the whole mess, but there was
nothing we could have done, short not selling the kits in the U.S.

MC,
Reno, Nevada

[Posted in FML 7477]