All ferret shows paperwork are somewhat similar but several items on
LOS's show's registry paperwork concern me.

1st. FERRETS. All ferrets entering the show hall, including those
offered for sale, must be at least 14 weeks of age and MUST HAVE THEIR
CANINE DISTEMPER VACCINATION UP TO DATE. All ferrets entering the show
hall must have been vaccinated for canine distemper .. Kit series are
8, 11, 14 weeks.

Ok, what about the time period for immunity after the last vaccination
for titer levels to build? Not possible with a 14 week old kit.

2nd no closer than THIRTY DAYS for booster / third shot for kit prior
to show with Fervac-D, Purevax or Galaxy-D, to allow time for immunity.
If it's a booster and the ferret was already vaccinated previously,
why 30 days prior for a booster but no time period for a 14 week old
kit that has not had time to build up titer levels? AND Fervac D? Last
batch of it expired in Aug. 2007.

3rd. Also we do strongly recommend that you vaccination your ferret
against Rabies True, distemper is highly contagious and fatal but so
can rabies be if a ferret bites or even scratches someone and they
complain to Animal Control. They might not just quarantine (you lose
control) the ferret that did bite...they may test(kill) and may even
take ALL ferrets exposed to that ferret at the show. In addition
to the heartache this may cause, it opens the show organizers to
considerable liability from our oh so reasonable government entities.
In Franklin County/Columbus rabies vaccination is required for a ferret
to be legal. And many show goers pass though areas where the local
governments require it even if locally for them it's not required.

Sorry...continues on part 2...
[appended here. BIG]

4th. Also we do strongly recommend that you vaccination your ferret
against Rabies and test for ADV but we do not require it. Your
veterinarian should have this information.

Many vets do NOT know about ADV or where to get testing done. Where in
the show paperwork is there information on concerns with ADV?

5th. NO stud service, nursing jills, pregnant jills (over 20 days) or
jills in full estrus.

WHY allow a pregnant jill at all?

6th. Kits for Sale: Kits must be 16 weeks old or older with their
canine distemper.

?"with their canine distemper"? Kits can come in to be shown at 14
weeks but to sell they have to be 16 weeks? AFA shows, Ferret Buckeye
Bash and other AFA sanctioned shows DO POST their current show
registration paperwork with vaccination information on their websites
for anyone, including John-Q-Public to download. Now this does bring
into mind that HOFA Rescue needs to post vaccination protocols on our
website. It is important to educate the public but we don't have to
consider all the public as idiots. Most know how to read, spell
correctly and use e-mail or phone with questions. I get lots of
inquiries and have helped talk quite a few through the showing process
as I know Vickie and others have also. We were all "newbies" at one
time. If someone comes into the Buckeye Bash show hall with an
unvaccinated or non- ADV tested ferret, we do have a quarantine room
with carriers if they wish to stay and shop. They are informed of the
chance of exposure with other ferrets in the room. This does give us
the opportunity to educate them also. After all isn't education one
of the key reasons for our ferret shows and respective associations?

Funny, nowhere on the LOS web site I could find any educational
materials. No vaccination protocols, health care, ADV info or other
educational concerns other than show information. Just their objectives
and goals being to educate but they had no immediate access to
educational materials. They did have who to e-mail to become a member.

Scarlett

Heart of Ohio Ferret Assoc. & Rescue
www.HOFARESCUE.org
Scarlett A. Gray-Saling, Show Coordinator
FERRET BUCKEYE BASH 2009
SAT. Aug. 29 - Veteran's Memorial
Columbus, OH
Ferrets, Ferret People and the Ferret Buckeye Bash!
Watch for reruns of: FERRETS: The Pursuit of Excellence
on your local PBS Station

[Moderator's note: Pointing out or questioning inconsistencies in a
website is acceptable as long as it's done out of genuine concern or
as a means of improvement. But this sure is reading a lot like LOS vs
AFA vs LOS with little other purpose. Please take petty arguments off
list -- I will begin rejecting posts which appear to have no purpose
other than to attack AFA/LOS. BIG]

[Posted in FML 6394]