I spoke to Dr. Kathleen Smith of the Ohio Dept of Health (DOH) regarding
pending legislature to require all dogs, cats and ferrets in Ohio to be
vaccinated against rabies.
 
Basically, all attempts by the DOH to find a sponsor for this bill has
failed. Any time they get close, the farm lobby, which is extremely
powerful in this state, pressures the potential sponsor and s/he backs
down. The farm lobby is also why Ohio has among the weakest animal cruelty
laws in the country.
 
Anyway, the lack of a state bill does not prevent individual municipalities
from requiring rabies vaccinations, as is the case in Cuyahoga County
(Cleveland). I believe Franklin County (Columbus) also requires rabies
vaccinations for ferrets.
 
Ferrets are included with dogs and cats in the DOH's official rabies
policy, including 10-day quarantines in bite cases. Dr. Smith is sending
me an updated copy of that policy.
 
Linda Iroff
Oberlin OH
[Posted in FML issue 2970]