>The article is titled "HSUS Statement on Ferrets as Pets".
>
>It is interesting.  They do state, not to leave children unattended
>because "small children have been seriously injured by ferret bites"(?)
 
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I hope this doesn't scare people away from ferrets!  It doesn't say
anything about hamsters biting, oh and they do.  I would think that
more kids have been bitten by hamsters than ferrets.  I looked around
a little, did any body find anything about dogs biting?  I have stats on
animal bites.
 
Dogs at a population of 54,200,000 - bite incidence 3,500,000 - That's
64,575 per million
 
Ferrets at a population of 8,000,000 - bite incidence 65 - That's 8 per
million
 
Under the heading "serious injuries" JAVMA reported dogs were responsible
for 44,000 serious bites per year, versus 12 per year for ferrets.
 
Source - American Veterinary Medical Ass., Compendium of Animal Rabies
Control Committee, Centers for Disease Control, National Ass.  of State
Public Health Veterinarians, Humane Society of the US, League of
Independent Ferret Enthusiasts.
 
I know they have to talk about dog bites, but it bothers me that it
says "HSUS Statement about ferrets as pets."  Why doesn't it say HSUS
Satement about dogs as pets."
 
Nichole Grant
[Posted in FML issue 4505]