Mark Ouellette,
 
Hi and thanks for the welcome to the FML.  Looks like a great place for
ferret info.  Several people have already responded to my pleas for help
- and may I take this time to say a big "Thanks, everyone." - don't get
too much time to sit down and reply like I should.
 
Dick B.
 
All,
I noticed a letter here talking about the NH Public Health Department
trying to pull licenses from Day Care Center who also have ferrets living
there.  The answer is "Yes they are."  What you may not have known is
that the NH Public Health Department has read and believes the
Kizer-Constantine paper, and has sent Public Health Bulletins to most of
the Public Schools and Doctors warning: of the "dangers" from ferrets;
that the rabies vaccine is not effective; that ferrets "attack young
children and infants" without provacation; and that a ferret is a danger
to the entire neighborhood since it might escape and attack.
 
We've contacted our local state representatives and they agreed to help.
We've contacted the head of the Health Department and he even agreed to
sit down with us and discuss the issue (at some unspecified future date).
Any Granite Staters out there should contact their local reps and let
them know that the Public Health Department is wrong in their stand
against ferrets; then offer to give them any info they might need to stop
this action.
 
        These campaigns against ferret ownership, based on
misinformation, are very widespread among many of the State Health
Departments.  I'd recommend that everone who owns and loves a fuzzy find
out what your state's health department's position is, and if it's wrong,
work hard to see that they get the FACTS as soon as possible.  Be polite,
though.  They are really acting on misinformation that they received
through "official" channels and are only trying to do their job of
protecting the public.  Just give them the facts.  Realize though, that
any of these state official "positions" may be the wedge used to drive in
laws prohibiting ferrets in the entire state.
 
Dick B.
 
[Posted in FML issue 0765]