I received a call at the shelter during dinner time last night. A young
gal was on the other end - she reported that her vet told her to call
for information.

It seems she purchased a ferret from a mom & pop pet store in
rochester, nh. She considered the purchase a rescue as the ferret had
goopy eyes and she felt sorry for it. The young lady received a copy of
the Marshall Farms health certificate on this reported eight week old
ferret and a sales receipt. She was concerned that the ferret was
bedded on pine shavings not aspen and perhaps that is how the eye
infection began. I told her it might also be due to a respiratory
infection form shipping. The vet had treated the eye and done a
thorough physical on the ferret . He found the ferrets temperature
elevated to 105 degrees. The eye was treated and the ferret will return
if any symptoms linger.

So what's wrong with this scenario??

This is a hot topic in NH! There is a administrative rule that ferrets
imported for sale in NH must be :

1;. QUARANTINED for 48 hours before sale

2. Must have had a NH licensed veterinarian issue a health certificate
( each individual animal BEFORE SALE to the public.

In the above case there was no health certificate clearly -- and the
ferret was sold ill. The punishment for non compliance is a $1,000.00
fine for the first offense.

I have urged the young lady to please follow through and file a
complaint backed by veterinarian records in this matter.

IF ANYONE PURCHASES A FERRET IN NEW HAMPSHIRE- ( starting date June
2006) Make sure the ferret has a health certificate issued for that
specific animal by a licensed NH veterinarian.

The health certificate is valid ONLY for 14 days-- so if the ferret
has sat in the store more than that it needs an additional health
certificate issued before legal sale can be made!

If your purchased ferret does not - you need to report the incidence
to The State Veterinarian. The contact information is listed below:

Dr. Stephen Crawford, Director
New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food
25 Capitol Street, 2nd Floor
Concord, NH 03302

(603) 271- 2404

email: [log in to unmask]

These rules were put into place to ensure the animals do not suffer
adn also to protect consumers who have incurred huge medical bills.

PLEASE thank Dr Crawford for attempting to protect young ferrets--
and more importantly - MAKE YOUR PET SHOPS AWARE THAT THIS IS A
REQUIREMENT - to date only NH Petco's are adhering to the health
certificate compliance -- So- lets show the small independent pet
retail stores we know the law and they owe it to the ferrets. If they
do not produce the required paperwork- shop for your ferret at Petco!

Alicia Drakiotes
a ferret advocate!

[Posted in FML 5534]