I think i should mention that while i was at the Vet's yesterday (at the
Veterinary Teaching College), i asked about biting laws in this Province.
The Doctor said that since Imrab is approved for use in ferrets, but has not
been tested (is that right???), the vaccine will most probably not be enough
to keep your ferret from being killed if s/he bites someone like Grant
Kozak.  He said that Ontario is, basically, the rabies capital of the world
and, because of this, authorities are _very_ strict.  He told me that it is
their job to protect human life and that if a bite is reported they _will_
kill the ferret (_NOT_ quarantee) because that is their job.
 
I started arguing with the poor man, saying "but ferrets live inside, how
are they going to get rabies??" And he said that that is just your word
against theirs, and your word will not be good enough.  He also said that he
heard, just recently, of a ferret being killed and tested in Toronto, i
believe it was.
 
I asked him, "So, what are we supposed to do about this.  Never let our
ferrets near anyone for their entire lives?!" He said that that is your
safest bet.
 
He said that the company that makes Imrab has not tested on ferrets (a great
expense to the company) because they do not feel that is a large enough
customer base--i.e., their customers are dog and cat owners...not ferret
owners.  I told him that PIJAC said that ferrets were the 3rd most popular
pet in the U.S.  and he said they will not believe those numbers--he
doesn't.  He said that our only option, as far as he can tell, is to get a
petition going, get a zillion ferret owners to sign it, then send it into
the company so that they will, maybe, decide that it would be worthwhile to
do the testing.  More ferrets have to die for the testing though, don't
they?
 
What a lovely, lovely, situation.
 
I am in touch with FEEL and I hope to come up with some plan of action soon.
In the meantime, Ontario Ferret Folks (and everyone else, of course), please
be very careful with your fuzzies and who you let them meet!!
 
--Norma-ann,
  President of SOFA
  and Mom to Molly, Leo & Maggie...
  Step-Mom to Oedie & Beckett.
[Posted in FML issue 1613]