Hi folks,
 
Well, I can't ever keep my mouth shut for long, and have to weigh in on
this one.
 
I personally don't understand the disagreement with manditory testing at
shows.  As an owner of a pet, whom I love, and understanding that everyone
else at a show feels the same way about their pets, I would want to be
certain that my ferret was safe from contracting something, and that they
weren't going to give anything to anyone else.  The heartache would be
the same either way.
 
Of course it is simple-minded to think that none of the negatives are
false, that all the people at the shows are being 100% honest, but 99%
sure is better than no assurance at all.
 
As far as the costs...I hate to say this, being one who is currently
preparing to do only my first ADV test, but we all should be testing with
regularity anyway.  We all should be considering that extra $15 per ferret
every several months as regular preventative care, accounting for where
the money is going to come from, and making sure it is there when it comes
time again to do the tests.
 
I don't show my ferrets anyway, since there are few shows near me, and I
am scraping together just enough to pay their medical expenses, without
spending extra on entry costs, and travel expenses to go to the few shows
which might be within a day's drive of me.  If I were to attend a show, it
would be for my education, and I'm not sure I would bring a ferret anyway.
My ferrets, frankly, are not well behaved.  The idea that people will stay
away from shows because of the costs of entering is silly.  Were I given
the opportunity to attend a show, being told my ferrets, in essence,
couldn't come, wouldn't stop me at all.  And certainly education is a
function of shows, but how many dog owners do you know who "go uneducated"
about their dogs because of not attending shows?  The same must be assumed
about ferret owners.  The simple fact that a person wants to attend a
ferret show implies they have the dedication to this animal to learn more.
They will not stop learning because shows are "too expensive" to attend.
Meanwhile, mandatory ADV testing at shows does educate even those who
decide not to attend because of it, about one thing...the importance placed
by the ferret community on testing for this disease.  If just one walk-in,
turned away from the show because of this manditory policy, goes home and
researches ADV, then it has been successful.
 
My ferrets don't go outside very often, I don't currently know anyone else
with ferrets, with whom to schedule play dates, my vet practices strict
sanitation procedures between every patient, I don't show my ferrets.  It
might seem like these ferrets are well protected from ADV, yet I must
consider other possible sources, like when I play with the babies at the
pet store while buying food.  Someone used the idea that we don't know
how it is contracted as a reason why testing should NOT be manditory, but
frankly, I think that is precisely the reason it SHOULD.
 
As to one poster's not wanting to go to a show simply because it is
mandatory, and having a problem with mandatory things, that is a personal
problem, and one you should try to get over.  It is irresponsible and
childish, and certainly NOT a good argument.
 
But in the end, why do we care that people who don't test their ferrets not
come to shows?  Isn't that the point?  To keep ferrets out of shows who
cannot prove they test negative for ADV?  Why do we care what their reasons
are, be they financial, or just obstinance?  There are those who are
concerned enough about ADV already to have stopped showing their ferrets
altogether, manditory testing or no.  It is important that ADV be nipped in
the bud before it becomes an epidemic.  I will do what I can to protect my
ferrets from it, and should it happen that my ferrets test positive, I will
do what I can to protect other ferrets from them.  This is a vow we should
all take.
 
Melissa Barnes
[Posted in FML issue 3426]