I thought this would be of interest to everyone ...
 
To: Ela Heyn @ Price Waterhouse-US
From: SENCDINGELL @ senate.state.mi.us @ Internet
Date: 06/06/97 01:05:50 PM
 
We have received many e-mail messages and phone calls and some of you may be
getting some repeated information, for that I am sorry, but here is an
update of what Senator Dingell is trying to do to help Kodo and all ferrets
in the state of Michigan.  Representative Eileen DeHart in the Michigan
House of Representatives is working on some similar projects.
 
Senator Dingell has introduced a bill that would change the classification
of ferrets from wild or exotic animals to companion animals.  This would put
them into the same category as cats and dogs, giving them a reasonable
quarantine for observation when a bite occurs.  If the ferret does not show
symptoms within that possible shedding period, it would be released.
 
Many people have shown support for this bill, but have asked what can be
done for Kodo now?  The legislature has no power to get involved with the
Judiciary Branch and the decisions that it renders due to our system of
checks and balances, however, we have just introduced a resolution urging
the Departments of Agriculture and Community Health to take a better look at
the studies and to change their recommendation in Kodo=27s case.  Below is a
copy of this Senate Resolution for you to read.
 
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Senator Dingell offered the following resolution:
 
Senate Resolution No. ? - (don't know yet)
 
A resolution urging the Departments of Agriculture and Community Health to
update their standards for which ferret bites and rabies risk are assessed
and act affirmatively to achieve clemency for Kodo, a ferret being executed
on Monday June 9th due to an innocent incidence of recent happening.
 
Whereas, Kodo the ferret has been the catalyst for a movement towards
changing out-dated and incorrect rules concerning the treatment of ferrets
as pets in our state.  The Domestic Ferret is believed to have been first
domesticated approximately 2500 years ago.  It is a developed species and
depends on mankind for its continued survival; and
 
Whereas, The domestic ferret arrived in the Americas in the first sailing
ships and around the turn of the century they were bred for their fur and
for rodent control in ships, barns and silos.  Ferrets did not disappear
with the ban.  Ferrets proved their usefulness during WWII by running wires
through conduits in the large bombers.  In fact they are still used to run
fiber optic strands in long, twisting conduits; and
 
Whereas, Ferrets as pets began to rise in popularity in the 1970's.  In
those states where ferret ownership was restricted, sentiment began to grow
toward easing or eliminating ownership restrictions.  Today there are an
estimated 10 - 12 million ferrets in the U.S.  making them the third most
popular companion animal in the country; and
 
Whereas, For ferrets, horses, and a number of other species, the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) has in the past expressed uncertainty as to the period
between rabies infection and the animal beginning to shed the virus.  The
CDC has recommended in all cases of bites that an individualized inquiry be
made.  For ferrets, this seems to always result in an order to kill the
ferret.  For unexplained reasons, horses are not so treated; and
 
Whereas, In February 1990, the first rabies vaccine was approved by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture for use in ferrets.  Rone Merieux, with their
IMRAB-3, was shown to be at least 94.4% effective in preventing rabies in
ferrets for up to one year following vaccination.  This was verified through
testing 90 ferrets, 3 times the number of animals required by the USDA.  The
vaccine has a proven effectiveness greater than required (86.7%, a number
derived for the dog.); and
 
Whereas, 3 distinct studies have been done by U.  Forster at the Paul
Erilich Institute in Germany; J.  Blancou, M.  Aubert, and M.  Artois from
the French National Institute for the Study of Rabies; and J.F.  Bell of the
United States.  All these studies show a mean-time from onset of the
symptoms, until death of 4.2 days, with a maximum of 7 days.  These studies
on three different rabies strains show that the ferret does not typically
shed the virus; and
 
Whereas, The cities of Saint Paul and St.  Lewis Park, Minnesota require
only that the ferret be examined by a veterinarian familiar with small
animals.  If the ferret is found to be healthy, vaccinated or unvaccinated,
it is released back to its owner.  A conservative approach to establishing a
quarantine would be to consider *death* as an easily recognized symptom of
rabies, and to establish the quarantine period at 7 days.  This is the
maximum time, from the initial onset of symptoms until death; and
 
Whereas, In light of these recent studies on shedding periods in ferrets and
past studies regarding this issue, the Massachusetts Department of Public
Health has changed their kill and test policy and created a 10 day
quarantine period for ferrets recommended for most domestic ferret
circumstances; and
 
Whereas, The quarantine period is not meant to prove that the animal does
not have the rabies virus; just that it was not capable of passing on the
disease at the time of the bite.  An animal cannot pass on the virus until
the virus is secreted by the salivary glands during the final stages of the
disease; now, therefore, be it
 
Resolved by the Senate, That the Michigan Departments of Agriculture and
Community Health enlighten their views on ferret quarantine policies or the
lack thereof, to make recommendations similar to those of the State of
Massachusetts and to treat ferrets and their many owners with fairness and
sympathy and to realize their place next to the canine and feline friends in
our Michigan families; and be it further
 
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Robert Jacobs,
Kodo*s owner, as a symbol of our common cause.
[Posted in FML issue 1959]