There are some pieces of supporting evidence I need to find AND SOME
OTHERS CAN HELP BY PROVIDING.
Anyone who wants to write to the members of the House in Congress to
prevent this ban -- which would ban ferrets from importation and would
add them to a list of animals who pose hazards for our nation which is
lousy first step toward outright banning -- should feel free to take
any of the points that I make below and reword them into their own
phrasing. Send your letters to your Representative in the House and
if you can also send to the members of the subcommittee involved that
would also be excellent. Your OWN letters or phone calls have a LOT
MORE WEIGHT than petitions do. Keep them polite, please.
<http://www.petproductnews.com/headlines/2009/04/01/hearing-slated-for-nonnative-species-ban.aspx>
1. Ferrets share very few illnesses with humans, posing a much smaller
zoonotic risk than dogs, cats, and several agricultural animals. Within
that category there has never been a case documented worldwide of a
ferret spreading rabies to any human or to any other animal. The CDC
rabies work and that vaccinated ferrets are the only animal besides
vaccinated dogs and vaccinated cats for which there is a 10 day
quarantine instead of destruction seems to be something of which they
are unaware.
2. Despite previous tries, including with large numbers of ferrets in
a section of (Ohio in the 19th century? Need to check on that but I
think it was Ferretown, OH back then and have the check this) the only
place in the U.S. that ferrets ever developed a feral population was
San Juan Island, WA and that was very short term and only because of an
establish population of imported European rabbits which form warrens
(easy hunting) unlike native rabbits. Even then the ferrets died off
once the rabbit population got low enough to make hunting more
difficult -- and then the imported rabbit population rebounded (and is
now feeding eagles and foxes). Ferrets and even polecats are very poor
predators. The only reason they can cause any harm in New Zealand --
where more harm is from accidently imported rats and purposely imported
cats, dogs, and stoats -- is due to the ease of hunting, but in the
polecat native areas in Europe they are being vastly outcompeted by
imported American mink.
3. The number of pet ferrets in the U.S. is currently estimated to
be between 8 to 10 million domestic ferrets as pets, and ferrets have
been in the U.S. for centuries.
4. In 2004, when the estimated number of pet ferrets was 5 million,
Wall Street Journal reporter, Ken Wells said on the Leonard Lopate
radio show on WNYC that ferrets amounted to over 2 billion (Yes, with
a "B") dollars worth of business in the U.S. annually. At the time the
total amount for spent pets and their needs annually in the U.S. added
up to 32 Billion. Two billion dollars is a lot of commerce.
4. Their serious bite rates were studied by Dr. Freddie Hoffman, a
pediatrician, and they have a serious bite rate that is similar to pet
rabbits, a rate that is about 1/200th that of dogs PER CAPITA PET.
"Ferrets -- Pet of Nineties?" can be found in "FDA Veterinarian",
May/June 1991, Vol. VI, Number III.
5. Ferrets have been successfully used to help autistic children
(Forgive me that this part of my letter is not fleshed out. I need to
speak w Rebecca Stout, Wolfy, on this because she knows of a British
expert who has also used ferrets and perhaps include a photo of Rocky
with Sean), and to detect on-coming seizures in people in the U.S. in
time for the individuals to take seizure prevention medications and
lie down safely (also need to find the supporting websites or other
refs on this).*
6. Pets are excellent for human health, both physical and mental, yet a
great many many people are allergic to dogs and cats whereas allergies
to ferrets are rare.
7. Ferrets are related to otters and are similarly intelligent and
playful.
8. Pet ferrets are long domesticated species, having been domesticated
at least by the time that Caesar had them taken to Malta and probably
originally domesticated by the ancient Greeks. Pet ferrets differ
genetically and in form and behavior from their wild cousins, the
European Polecat and the Steepe Polecat. They were originally changed
for the fur industry, pet industry (having been popular companions
during the Renaissance), and for a form of hunting in which the ferrets
scared rabbits from burrows to the nets of farmers and grounds keepers
rather than killing the rabbits themselves.
http://www.doctorbeer.com/joyce/ferrets/frhistpg.htm
* I am starting to lack time so have to get back to this. In one of
the newspapers in response to the Ottawa case a third person who uses
ferrets for seizure detection sent a letter so I need to find that.
Meanwhile, I had links in this, and, yes, Hilbert really DID save my
life -- although I'd thought he only prevented my becoming very ill
my allergist said that more likely with my degree of asthma at that
time Hilbert saved me: Quote of part of my own letter to see refs and
incorporate things: In my own situation our furnace malfunctioned while
my husband was out on a morning walk. Hilbert, a very trustworthy
ferret, was out of the cage at the time. I was sleeping in and due to
my asthma was beginning to having breathing problems from the fumes.
Hilbert climbed the bed and gently and persistently kissed and nuzzled
my face until I was aware enough to force myself up, turn off the
furnace, and vent our home. My husband came home later to find us all
huddled in the cold but clean breeze from an open door.
Although i had assumed that Hilbert merely saved me from a nasty asthma
attack my physician said that he more likely saved my life and that of
the other household pets as well as his own.
I've read of 4 or 5 times when ferrets alerted humans to house fires
and in doing so saved their families.
Ferrets have been used by at least two people for seizure alert animals
warning them in time before seizures so that they could take their
medications and lie down in a safe place to avoid falls. See these
two references:
http://www.extremeweezils.com/ewfriends.html#cerino
<http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/media/critter-news/legal-news/ferrets-cause-eviction.aspx.pdf>
Furthermore, ferrets helped bring a little autistic boy out of his
shell in which he was trapped. References:
http://www.modernferret.com/pressreleases/sean.html
http://www.wolfysluv.com/seanval.html
http://www.wolfysluv.com/bb.html
Additionally, ferrets have often been noted as having been used as
animal visitors to help bring joy and wonder to patients in nursing
homes and hospitals. Here is a piece by a veterinarian who has a ferret
who serves people in this way but this is far from a solitary situation
since I've known several such ferrets personally and have read of a
number more:
<http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ask-Veterinarian-700/Ferrets-continuing-care-facilities.htm>
Scroll down for the committee members in here:
http://www.pijac.org/files/public/US_HR_669.pdf
Find your own Rep and contact info:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
and by using these which have live links to click open:
http://directory.usayfoundation.org/
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
http://www.webslingerz.com/jhoffman/congress-email.html
I put one in with a zip code locator a few days ago but can't find that
one now. Sorry.
your local library, town hall, or town newspaper
[Posted in FML 6300]
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