OUCH!
 
And humans are supposed to be high on the IQ chart?  Sounds like some of the
Ontario judges have moved down to San Diego.
 
It appears we've got a visibly biased judge with no fact to base his opinion
on, and a lady who has an outstanding Visa bill to pay off.  I guess the
$8,000 wasn't enough, eh?  Go for the gusto!  Let's go for $10,000.  Satisfy
that lawyer's greed!
 
You know...... if everyone that my ferrets nipped in defence or youthful
naivety were to have taken that stance....We wouldn't have dogs, cats,
ferrets or rabbits at home anymore.
 
Dr. Killian, do you have anything on paper to offer here that would
counteract this BS?
 
Pamela?  Dayna?  Bill?  Kelleen?
 
Personally, here's my 2 cents in supportive arguement against the judge's
ruling:
 
Rob Adlers
Toronto, Canada
(416)932-1619
Occupation: Senior Support Analyst for Symantec Corp.
 
I, and my fiancee, have three ferrets and a cat in our 2 bedroom apartment.
When the ferrets were younger, they had the privileage of using the entire
apartment 24 hours a day.  Because of the inability to properly litter train
them due to long work hours, we concluded that it would be better to cage
them while we are not home.  All three of them, as youthful ferrets, did nip
and bite us during their maturation into adult ferrets, displaying nothing
more than curiousity, youthful physical clumbsiness, playful and fearful
actions.  I've sustained worse injuries from my cat for the same reasons.
In each case, they have learned from those experiences, and I do not have
fear in letting them near strangers.  To this, we allowed them to run around
our bedroom at night during this period, with access to the bed where we
sleep.  We're still alive with no medical records indicating blood thirsty
attacks by our ferrets.  The ferrets have all tasted our blood at one point
in their life due to topical scratches during play.  I again point out, that
I have sustained more injury playing with my cat, he's tasted my blood, and
his nails were clipped short!
 
It is true that there is no conclusive study on Rabies incubation periods
within a ferret.  The failure of the American Health Institutions to
recognize the need to conclude the study is not the owner's fault.  There is
a ferret support group right now in the USA attempting to collect money to
help fund the $5,000,000 project.  When it comes to a case as the one
against Ferrets Anonymous , The Ministry of Health in Ontario, Canada is on
the ferret's side due to factual statistics.  Unless there is NO doubt that
something is ailing the ferret, A ferret will NOT be immediately put down,
but instead will be quarantined for observation for at least 1 month.
Ferrets are normally kept indoors, and when out, they are normally caged or
with their owners on a leash or within easy reach.  Vets in Ontario also
encourage yearly vaccinations to keep the cautious assured.  This practice
also helps reduce the possibility of rabies in the ferret population, and
Toronto has the highest rabies rate in Canada.  My ferrets have had their
rabies shots and have the tags worn on their leashes when we are out for a
walk and come in contact with strangers.
 
     Regards,
 
     Rob Adlers
[Posted in FML issue 1717]