Hi Jean and the Zoo!  You wrote
>It took a group effort to make the changes in the Compendium, it will take
>ALL of us to change the different localities ways of doing things.
 
You are absolutely right, it was a group effort that made the changes to the
compendium.  A group consisting of Dr. Chuck Rupprecht [Centers for Disease
Control], DR, Karen Briggs at Kansas State University.  Did you know that
Dr. Briggs became a special consultant to the Compendium Committee before
the Shed Study was completed?  Did you know that Mike Neizgoda [the student
responsible for the Skunk and Raccoon strain portion of the study] became a
paid staff member at the Center for Disease Control?  And then of course it
was the Compendium Committee themselves that comprised the group.  Did you
know that the Compendium Committee originally requested 12 strains of the
bat variant be studied?  When I, and I know many others posed the same
question to Dr. Rupprecht, why was the ferret subjected to extensive
testing while the dog and cat only endured one testing [canine rabies]?
Dr. Rupprecht said that If they had known then what they know now that
there would have indeed been more testing on the dog and cat but,
unfortunately we can't change it.  What Dr. Rupprecht alluded to was that
there are now LAWS protecting dogs and cats.
 
A law protecting ferret's is the only way you can effectively protect your
fuzzies.  A law holds Public Health Officials accountable for their actions.
You as a consumer and a citizen of the US then have the right to sue your
local government for liability IF that law were to be broken, you will have
a legal leg to stand on.  Right now as it stands a recommendation is just
that and nothing more, there is no legal recourse for ferret owners in
states that don't have a law protecting ferrets.
 
In closing I would like to add the following profound statements of
officials as food for thought.
 
Dr. Chuck Rupprecht [Centers for Disease Control] "If we had known then what
we know now, there would have been more test's."
 
Comment; The Compendium Committee could change their minds at any given
time requesting additional strains be tested on ferrets.  Here in Florida
regardless of the Committee's ongoing studies it would take at least a year
and the votes of 116 House Representatives and 38 Senators not to mention
the tax payers money the state would most likely have to shell out for
lobbyists.
 
Dr. Richard Hopkins [Florida Public Health] "I don't see why your group felt
it was necessary to change the law?"
 
Comment; I honestly felt resentment in his voice.  What I felt he really
would like to have said would have been something to the effect of You've
crossed the God line.
 
I don't want to make enemies in Public Health human lives do matter very
much to the majority of ferret owners BUT, ignorance is no longer an
acceptable practice.  Our ferret's deserve more than the same considerations
extended to cat's and dog's.
 
Tim Farante [Howard Futch's assistant and HB3115's sponsor] "It wasn't the
information sent to us but, it was the recommendation that put teeth into
this bill."
 
Comment; Dr. Lisa Conti [FL Public Health spokesperson] was present both
times we appeared before both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees
[we only had to speak once before the House on behalf of the bill].  When
Dr. Conti was asked if she had any comments she said "No!"
 
Marie E. Wallace
[Posted in FML issue 2307]