I don't understand why the vet would have to look for a reason that
an unattended intact male ferret would chew on an infant. Ferrets are
animals. If you had a dog and an infant, some dogs (even small dogs)
would possibly attack an infant, possibly not understanding harm was
occurring. Many labs have harmed infants simply because they wanted
to carry the baby around, and the parents thought they would be okay
together for a moment.

Animals don't and will not always realize that infants are "little
people", as much as we want to anthropomorphize pets, and ourselves -
we are just animals to them. And since the ferret and infant were in a
terrible, abusive situation, who is to say this ferret simply wasn't
fed at all? Or enough? Was he trying to eat? Your story did not go into
the reason found (I may have missed it). This reminds me of the pit
bull and ferret story, where each was starved, and the pit bull chewed
on the toes of the infant, as a puppy. What blame is there? It is only
the parents fault.

Even little kids can't be trusted around animals. I worked at a vet
where little kids, toddlers, and a six year old were left unsupervised
with day old kittens. They started throwing the kittens at the
television screen. All but one had to be euthanized, had extreme head
trauma, and suffered greatly. Are we to say that a ferret or pit bull
is supposed to act at a level higher than toddlers? To be that aware?
Isn't it common sense that when you add animal + infant together in a
case of neglect that this would be normal? Or is there something I am
missing?

Laryssa

[Posted in FML 6215]