I sent the following to the Bay City Times editor.
 
The article by Frank C. Lee is misleading.
 
>Kodo was the subject of a month-long, highly-publicized court battle with
>county and state officials.  In the end, the 1-year-old ferret was killed
>for pricking the hand of a man at a Bay City Mall animal exhibition on
>May 2.
 
The ferret did NOT prick the man's hand, the man bumped the ferret in the
snout.
 
>The county favored euthanizing Kodo based on Michigan law, which requires
>following the most current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control
>and Prevention.
 
The CDCP did NOT follow the most current guidelines.  They followed
guidelines from 1991!!
 
>Those guidelines include a 1997 report that states extenuating factors
>should be considered, such as the circumstances of the bite, the
>epidemiology of rabies in the area and the biting animal's history, current
>health status and potential for exposure to rabies.
 
This is correct. Using these guidelines:
 
Circumstance of bite: There was NO bite.  Kodo was lying calmly in his
owner's arms.  The elder gentleman reached to pet Kodo and bumped the
ferrets snout.  Later the gentleman wasn't even sure if he cut himself on
Kodo's fang, He thought it might have been the table edge.
 
Epidemiology of rabies: It is the same as all the surrounding areas.
 
Biting history: Kodo has NEVER bitten anyone.
 
Current health status: Kodo was up to date on his USDA approved rabies
vaccine.  He NEVER displayed ANY illness before or during his arrest.
 
Potential for exposure to rabies: Kodo was an indoor animal.  He did not
play outside.  At every instance where Kodo was taken outside, for vet trips
and such, he was in an approved animal carrier.  There is NO chance that
this ferret could have come in contact with a rabid animal.
 
Of all of the guidelines, only the epidemiology of rabies in the area could
be counted against Kodo. There was a preponderance of evidence that showed
that this animal should have been quarantined!
 
>"There's just not enough studies done on rabies and ferrets - too many
>question marks," Drenzek said.
 
There has been more studies on ferrets than on dogs or cats.
 
>Although a ferret vaccination exists for rabies, officials with the state
>Department of Community Health said it is about only 90 percent effective.
 
It is 92% effective. The vaccination for dogs and cats is only 82%
effective. Please explain how they can hold one animal to higher standards
than other more dangerous animals.
 
According to the CDC, there were 8,230 cases of animal rabies reported in
1994 in the United States.  One involved a ferret.  Of the 116 ferrets that
were euthanized and tested in Michigan last year at state-run laboratories,
none tested positive for rabies.  The last time a euthanized ferret tested
positive was 12 years ago.
 
Don't people understand these numbers???
 
The gentleman who bumped Kodo's mouth did not believe Kodo had rabies and
did not want the shots.  He signed papers releasing the state, county and
all others from liability.  He even went on vacation out of the states
before Kodo was tested for rabies.
 
The CDC perjured themselves on the witness stand.  They said the gentleman
was worried and awaiting the rabies test results.  They also used out of
date guidelines.
 
Please contact Robert Jacobs <[log in to unmask]> Kodo's owner and PLEASE
print his side of the story.  This man would gladly handed his ferret over
if he had any doubt that his ferret did not have rabies.
 
Sincerely,
 (my name and personal e-mail address)
 (Title)
 (Company)
 (my e-mail at my company)
 ------------------------------------
 
Time to return to the shadows......
SilverRaven
[Posted in FML issue 1974]