This is so disheartening.  Here is the rest of the story.
 
Mike and his fiancee got married.  Mike and his new bride are getting a
divorce.  The children (ages 3 & 1) have been taken from the woman by the
state and placed in foster care (reason unknown).  Woman is angry at
everyone so calls and reports this alleged bite four and a half months after
it happens.  The pediatrician NEVER SAW THE CHILD.  Only talked to the woman
on the phone.  The pediatrician determined that an exposure had taken place
and said he wanted the ferret destroyed.  Rebecca gave the ferret to someone
who was willing to go to jail.  The warrant was issued and when they got to
Rebecca's and she told them she no longer had the ferret, they said they
didn't care who had it SHE was going to jail.  As I said yesterday, she has
a grandfather (not father) with alzheimers and is raising her grandson.  You
can imagine the fear she had for her family.  She asked that Thunder be
brought back to be destroyed.  This occurred at 3:30pm today and I'm sure
the ferret was dead by 3:40.
 
Now, in a court of law, under oath I heard Dr. Stobierski and Dr. Hall say
that they can only advise on these situations and that it is up to the local
health departments to make the decisions regarding these cases.  Remember
that Rebecca was called by the Shiawasse Health Dept. and assured after she
had answered their questions that everything was ok and they would not be
coming for her ferret.  They did the right thing and then MDCH stepped in an
overrode their decision.  So, it is clear that they lied under oath.  It is
also clear that they are not protecting the public health, they are just
killing ferrets.  They took the word of a Dr. who had no contact with the
child, and the word of a woman who is obviously not doing something right if
the State took her children away, and said they were doing it for the safety
of the child.
 
There is no proof that a bite even occurred!!  This is so obviously wrong
and so obviously being ignored by the people who have the power to make it
stop.  I firmly believe that the CDC could stop this insanity if they wanted
to.  I think as long as they keep saying they need more studies the money
will keep coming and the guarantee of at least another years work.  In the
meantime we have situations like we do in Michigan.  I wonder how those
responsible can sleep at night?
 
Please everyone.  Contact your state health department and under the Freedom
of Information Act request the number of ferrets destroyed and tested for
rabies year by year for at least 10 years back.  This info should be sent to
Troy Lynn Eckhart and on the rabies page in Kodos kozykingdom web site.  I
would bet there have been thousands of ferrets destroyed in the last ten
years.
 
I am so sorry we couldn't save him.
[Posted in FML issue 2020]