***IF*** I recall right I read years ago that South Africa outlawed
the keeping of exotic (as in non-native) species which are not cats or
dogs -- maybe about 5 or more years ago, including ferrets from what I
think I remember, but are still having trouble with some of the more
risky species in terms of being able to get loose and cause havoc.
I ran into an article just about a week ago about a place which provides
a safe haven for such confiscated individuals (I think that one was
all primates and reptiles.) to live out their lives safely without
reproducing or posing a risk to the environment. There is an active
smuggling problem for small South and Central American primates according
to what i have read.
***IF*** my recollection is correct and ***IF*** there is not a similar
sanctuary for ferrets then they would have to smuggled, which is very
unfair and unsafe for the animals (in one study on smuggled wooley
monkeys coming to the U.S. there were an estimated 20 deaths for each
survivor, and the chimp studies on smuggling had higher death rates),
and then if confiscated at any point they would be destroyed.
This comes up in a search but I know nothing about the individual:
http://www.ferretguy.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=28
Again, my recollection could be off, so people would need to CHECK!
Let's see what is the FML Archives. I only have time to pick out a few
and a LOT of messages come up in the last 10 years so other should search
there, too. Obviously, the ferret people who are there will know a LOT
more than I could on this score.
This is on ferrets having a short lifespan there:
http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0002&L=FERRET-SEARCH&P=R1832
Ah, this says that importing of sterilized ones was still okay, but
breeding was outlawed and it may be this that stuck in my memory but
with changes:
http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0001&L=FERRET-SEARCH&P=R19465
similar:
http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind9603&L=FERRET-SEARCH&P=R4717
contradicting that info in the first archives post listed but earlier:
http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind9911&L=FERRET-SEARCH&P=R16756
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my
private posts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love
them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5380]
