>Disturbed by the recent incident in NJ, I called the Massachusetts Fish and
>Wildlife Dept.....He suggested that I not let anyone touch my ferrets...
>If anyone reports a bite, F & W will confiscate and kill ALL my ferrets on
>the assumption that they are all infected.
 
Ah yes, that sounds like our friend Bob Arini (sp?).  I talked to him over a
year ago and heard that ferrets are attracted to the 'gurgling sound' that
babies make, and will kill them if one is not very careful.  Thought that he
had developed a better understanding by now, but apparently not.  We will
have to work on that.
 
The position of the Fish and Wildlife Department as explained publicly many
times by Dr Tom French who is in charge of such things, is quite a bit
different.  Tom bred ferrets as a teenager in Georgia and knows them very
well.  He advocates a 'risk assessment' in which the circumstances of each
case are considered before a decision is made.  Thus a ferret found
wandering outside with an animal bite might well be euthanized, however a
Marshall Farms Ferret with a current rabies shot, who only scratched someone
would not be.
 
It is Public Health Dept (617) 983-6800 who are most afraid of ferrets.  And
they are the ones who get called in many times as a result of someone
seeking treatment for an animal bite.  This is a fear born of ignorance and
is fueled IMHO by a public that is just terrified by the word rabies which
conjures up the image to many of certain death coming at the teeth of a
small 'ratlike' animal, probably alone in an alley somewhere possibly at
some pain and covered by garbage.  ;-)
 
Fear coming from a lower level in the brain, seems to be much stronger and
longer lasting than logic in all of us.  As soon as the facts are out of
sight or fade from memory, fear does come flooding back in.  Also it has
been pointed out (thanks Dick), that these people don't lose their jobs for
killing ferrets, but from making mistakes.  The absolutely safest thing that
they can do is to protect people at all costs.
 
At the moment many of us are calling to get information from each of the
State Health Departments concerning the number of animals (by species) that
have been tested for rabies each year for the past fifteen years, and the
number that have been found positive, by species.  We also need to get a
dialog going with them, and with any other group that may have an interest
concerning ferrets.  We need to get everyone to tell us their fears so that
we may refute them, as well as let them know of our concern for these
animals.
 
Several states have a quarantine, if we can get moving on that all the
better.  No matter what though, it all comes down to educating the public
and getting the word out.  It is really important to get people to realize
that first of all ferrets are in not in any way a hazard to health or the
environment, and secondly like all pets, they require love and care, and are
not for everyone.
 
Give me a call if you would like to help.  We have a couple of brochures and
other material which you can have to xerox and pass out.  We need people to
visit pet stores, identify ferret friendly vets, and to share ideas with.
Many hands make light work.
 
Bill, Susie, Squeekers, Peaches, John Bear, and Jack the
Cat who thinks like a Ferret.
Framingham, Mass
 
        - Never underestimate the power of an entrenched
[Posted in FML issue 1603]
[Posted in FML issue 1603]