1. Non-vetted shows. Google non-vetted show and see what you come up
with online. Here's just one example from a cat show entry packet:

NON-VETTED: This is a non-vetted show. All entries are expected to be
free of fleas, fungus, and illnesses. Exhibitors are advised to have
cats and kittens inoculated for feline enteritis, rhinotracheitis,
calici viruses, rabies, and tested for FeLV before entry. All claws
of all entries must be clipped prior to benching. Any cat suspected
of illness or infestation will be required to leave, along with all
entries of that exhibitor.

2. Checking records. If you look at dog and cat shows they do not check
records 'at the door'. But they retain the right to request to see
records at any time for any reason. Hell, I can give you names of
folks who have been banned from AFA shows because they falsified their
vaccination documentation and some of their ferrets came down with CD!
Oh, wait a minute, those folks go to LOS shows now. Hummmm....... AFA
requires current rabies vaccination. This is the law in most states and
since it's the law AFA requires it. This is just common sense and if
you have ever had a show where someone was nipped or scratched and the
person asked to see the rabies certificate then you better be sure that
ferret has one. This is one vaccination that we can't just 'RECOMMEND'
folks have. Having proof has saved ferret's lives. As for canine
distemper vaccinations, if everyone has their ferret vaccinated
properly there should be no issues with a ferret picking up CD at a
show. AFA can't recommend vaccinating ferrets with non-USDA licensed
vaccines. So we have put the responsibility on the owner to vaccinate
their ferrets for CD as they see fit. That said a lot of ferret owners
are now getting titer levels checked due to the AFA Titer Study that
Dr. Ruth Heller is doing and they are finding their ferret's CD titer
level is high enough for protection more than a year past vaccination.
So it is up to the owner to do what they feel is best for their ferret
and if they feel the ferret is protected then that's fine.

3. ADV Testing. This is just common sense. ADV is still out there and
you have a better chance of your ferret picking this up from a show
that does not require current testing than from a show that does
require it. Shows should be doing all they can to protect ferrets too
by not having communal playpens or doing anything that requires ferrets
to 'share' an item with another ferret - like racing tubes, paper bags,
cups for tipping, etc. Just like back in the 60's and 70's when all you
needed to do for safe sex was be on the pill that old standard can get
you killed these days. Times have changed and shows must too. Nuff
said.

If anyone out there - other than the LOS'er anon poster(s) and Deb
cause I don't think it will help - want more information on AFA shows,
requirements, safety, etc. please feel free to contact me directly.

Vickie McKimmey

Just a Business of Ferrets
www.jbferret.com
American Ferret Association
Director of Shows and Special Events
www.ferret.org
Author of Ferrets: An Animal Planet Pet Care Library Series Book

[Posted in FML 6393]