As the upshot of learning a real nail-biter of a story from Robin, this
afternoon I spoke with Dr. James Rankin, Division of Communicable Disease,
Epidemiology, Pennsylvania Department of Health, P.O.  Box 90, Harrisburg,
PA 17108, 717-787-3350 and learned that PA's state department is observing
the Compendium.  He obviously considers it VERY important for those who
love ferrets in his state to get copies of the Compendium and info about
ferrets being quarantined (rather than destroyed) out to all the local
municipalities.
 
That is true for ALL states.  Even if a local department of health has
autonomy and the local people are not ferret friendly, their getting the '98
Compendium in the mail from you means that they are aware that LOCAL and
STATE ferret owners have THAT document, strong CDC research, NASPHV
recommendation, and MORE (in most cases including their own state health
departments' recommendations of quarantine) -- ALL of which could be used in
a court of law against the local department (and very likely get someone
fired for acting precipitously) if a ferret is killed.  This means that when
YOU send out a copy of the 1998 Compendium from
http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/rabcontb.html
or any other source you are not only EDUCATING your municipality, but you
are ALSO letting them know that you have serious ammo in case they mess up.
 
BTW, this is a GREAT project for mature kids, too!  It will save lives, AND
kids helping critters makes for just the sort of feel-good story which
newspapers and other media like so you could let your papers, tv, radio,
state magazine and the like know about your work!!!!!  You can teach them
about IMRAB-3 being USDA approved for use in ferrets since 1990, and about
how ferrets qualify for the same quarantines used for cats and dogs!  KIDS
WILL ACTUALLY PROBABLY BE BETTER AT GETTING LIFE-SAVING PUBLICITY FOR THIS
THAN ADULTS.
 
Whoever you are, if you are getting the word out let us all know how your
work is coming along!
 
Hope Robin puts the story here.  It's filled with tension and she's one heck
of smart hero, even though I doubt she'd ever call herself that.  Won't tell
you how it ends; it's her true tale to impart.  Make sure your seat has arms
to hold.
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2206]