Much to my surprise, I discovered from my vet today that the situation
w.r.t. ferrets and rabies in Canada is very similar to that in some parts
of the US.  Eg: after a reported ferret bite and rabies is somehow suspected,
the animal is killed to check for a rabies infection.  The *killed* vaccine
is used here very much in an ad-hoc fashion, and is not considered "proven".
(Considering how things go, if the FDA in the US approved it, the appropriate
bodies here would probably follow fairly quickly once the change was brought
to their attention)
 
The towns of Whitby and Oshawa (the extreme eastern edge of the Toronto
"megopolis") have banned 'em.  Our vet had been asked to speak at the
council meeting, but was unable to do so because of time conflicts.
He noted that the opposition to ferrets in some ways resembles hysteria -
people that he otherwise respects as experts in the field simply refuse
to listen to him about ferrets.  He suspects the "snake" syndrome coupled
with "weasel" and "henhouse" associations, but when I suggested the
connection between the AMA and animal testing down in the States, thought
that it was probably also a contributing factor.
                                                                          
[Posted in FML 0070]