Hey, South Carolina - congratulations on your new law!  Wish N.C. had
one like that!
 
Unfortunately, our "powers that be" leave the decision as to whether
"strays" are adoptable or not to the jurisdiction of ferret-ignorant local
authorities.  I'm told the State Vet is anti-ferret, & know from personal
experience that he won't answer phone calls.  Mostly, strays here are
euthanized - whether or not they appear healthy; whether or not they bite
anyone; whether or not the ferret shelters are willing to "take them off
their hands" and whether or not people want to adopt them.  Of course, they
don't TELL you that - you get the "song & dance" about "following up on lost
ferret reports," ferrets not meeting "adoption criteria," rabies/distemper,
etc.  And, of course, our ferret laws are so vague that no one wants to take
responsibility for any non-party line decisions - so they just go by the
State Vet's party line.
 
Yes, I'm bitter.  TriFl members just spent the past week trying to rescue a
ferret that was found as a stray & turned over to a local APS.  As the week
wore on, they listened less and less, and by now, he is probably dead.  I
went over & checked him out the day after he was found.  He was a very
healthy appearing male who had obviously been someone's pet - nails were
clipped, not even ear mites.  He was a little thin, & scared - a little bit
nippy (probably scared), but not the least bit vicious.  I spent an hour
talking to the shelter supervisor and gave him printed information about our
shelter, ferret club, rabies in ferrets, etc., - followed by 2 telephone
conversations with the Animal Control director with the same info., and a
call to the breeder for possible identification.  A ferret club member went
over & tried to adopt him & was told he wasn't available for adoption
because of "health concerns." Guess we've lost this war - his 5 day
"quarantine" period expired today.  Maybe someday we will be able to get
better legislation written, but right now we're just feeling pretty
hopeless & helpless.
 
I can only hope things will be better "some day", but I'm not very
encouraged!
 
Karen
[Posted in FML issue 1511]