This is a plea to that young lady who's apparently been asked to write an
article for the LIFE section of a Toronto newspaper.
 
Please, if you can, get all the data you can on the ferret.  If possible
get that animal to a vet who is knowledgable of ferrets for a detailed
examination, preferably before the animal is killed.  After death have the
vet do a post-mortem (necropsy) on that ferret and record all findings.
 
The more that is known about such ferrets, the greater will be the ability
to compare such ferrets for any similarities.  In the event certain traits
or physical characteristics are found to be common in other ferrets, then
strictrer measures could be taken to ensure to a greater effectiveness that
that ferret is never in intimate association with an infant.
 
Also, please, please get a detailed description in medical language of the
wounds that were inflicted upon the infant by the ferret's activities.
 
Lastly, determine if you can the situation in the home where the ferret
attack on the infant occurred.  Please include all factual information you
can glean, irregardless of how insignificant it may seem at this moment.
You never know necessarily right at the beginning just what minutia may be
a valuable evidence in future cases when comparing one ferret-infant bite
incident with a second, or third, etc.
 
Good luck, and I sincerely hope you'll succeed in your efforts.
 
Edward Lipinski,  Been there and done that.
[Posted in FML issue 2740]