Todd,
 
I have a sopy of the 1994 Compendium of Animal Rabies Control.  "Part III B.
 Control Methods in Domestic and confined Animals; 1. Preexposure Vaccination
and Management"  has the following list:
 
"(a)  Dogs and Cats
(b)  Ferrets
(c) Livestock
(d) Other animals
     (1) Wild
     (2) Maintained in Exhibits and in Zoological Parks"
 
As you can see, they list the ferret under "Domestic" and not wild.  The
problem seems to come in under Part III  B  6  "Management of Animals that
Bite Humans"
After a discussion of a 10 day quaranteen period for dogs and cats, etc., it
goes on to say, "Management of animals other than dogs and cats depends on
the species, the circumstances of the bite, and the epidemiology of rabies in
the area."
 
Public Health officials (some of them) intrepret this as:  A ferret is a
carnivor.  Carnivors can develop rabies; therefore ferrets can develop
rabies.  Kill it and test it.
 
There is no exception for livestock either.
 
In October 1980, the CDC did publish a "Veterinary Public Health Notice;
Viral Diseases; Pet Ferrets and Rabies".  The notice said in part," If in the
investigation of a ferret bite, the investigator can be reasonably assured
that the animal has had no contact with indigenous rabies vectors and was not
vaccinated with MLV [modified live virus] rabies vaccine then the likelihood
of the ferret's having rabies seems extremely remote, and the antirabies
treatment of the bite victim would not seem warranted."
 
Dick Bossart
[Posted in FML issue 1081]