Just thought that with the recent rabies-related post, the Texas area
FMLers should know this: a recent post on the Usenet newsgroup clari.
living.animals talked about the worry over a huge rabies outbreak
potential in Texas.  Vets described the too-frequent attitude that
dogs (and other pets, I suppose) can simply be replaced if they get
ill or die, plus poverty in Texas and Mexico, and the large coyote
population as concerns regarding this disease.  I'd be certain that
if I lived in that area, my ferrets were up to date on their vacci-
nations.  After all, whether or not the bite is _reported_ is the
important thing, and knowing that the biting ferret was vaccinated
may calm fears of others.
 
On that topic, my ferrets each have an ID tag on their collar, and
Rocko has a rabies vaccination tag (the clinic where I got Randall
vaccinated didn't give me one) on his.  I also carry their vaccination
papers with me when I travel.  Some people who aren't familiar with
ferrets make comments to the effect of 'look at the tags on their
collars, just like dogs and cats.'  I think it helps show that these
are domestic animals and 'real' pets.  The rabies tag is metal, but
light, and their ID tags are light but sturdy plastic.  Because I
travel to see my fiance' in Chicago so often, I had my address and
phone number put on one side and his on the other.
 
Happy ferreting,
Denise, plus Rocko and Randall
[Posted in FML issue 1114]