>From:    Chris VonSeggern <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Public Health Vets' Statistics
>
>I too was outraged at the inaccuracies in the Capital Times' story about
>ferrets, and I'm glad that whoever posted the summary...is writing to the paper
 
> However, I have to ask if anyone is writing to the Nat'l Association of
> Public Health Veterinarians, which is where the article author apparently
> got their statistics.  I'd be very curious to find out where this group
> is getting their numbers...
>
> Chris von Seggern
> Bellingham, WA
 
Unfortunately, I DO know where those particular statistics come from:
Kizer and Constantine's 'report' that caused all the hubbub in California.
 
They neglect to mention in the 'report' that of the 400 'attacks', many were
as simple as 'single puncture wound on finger'  or in one recorded case that
I know of, NO ONE was bitten, but it was listed as a bite attack on a child
nonetheless. - they ALSO neglect to mention that in the time period that
these 400+ 'attacks' occured, there were between 1 and 3 MILLION dog-bite
attacks, and 157 deaths  (the single ferret-related death was (as I recall)
eventually ruled NOT to be the ferret's fault, but parental abuse..)
 
The fact that they give their 'facts' without comparing them to ANY other
animal, and that they ADMIT that in many cases, the animal in question was
not really identified, or was 'found near child'  (i.e., I child was bitten
and a ferret was in the area, so who gets the blame?)
 
This is the same garbage california and all the other states have been going
through for YEARS, when are people going to wise up?  *sigh*
 
I'm tired, I need to sleep, and I MISS MY FERRETS!!!!!!
(I left them in Utah when I moved to Ca, and haven't yet been able to retrieve
them) *sniff!*
 
Goodnight all,
Matt O.
Formerly of the Utah Ferret Association
[log in to unmask]
 
BTW, BIG - how do I go about getting the FML sent to my present e-mail address,
instead of the former one I had? - I am now at [log in to unmask] instead of
[log in to unmask] - I have both, but may drop xmission in a few months,
as it's now many states away.
 
[BIG says: OK, I updated your address.]
[Posted in FML issue 1122]