In the Dec 27, '96 postings on FML, Tina Femea, Lela, and Catherine Shaffer
indicated that it was impossible for a human being to conract HIV/AIDS from
a ferret that has been exposed to this malady.
 
Please let me relate to you ladies and to all the other readers of this
message the following experience I have had with the veterinary and medical
authorities in Seattle, Washington.
 
1.  Ferrets NorthWest's Edward Lipinski was requested to accept a pet ferret
of several years from the HIV positive partner of the late deceased owner,
who had died from the complications associated with AIDS.
 
2.  Edward Lipinski, of gross ignorance in such matters, sought the help of
both vets and physicians to determine the liability of said Lipinski to any
adopter of this ferret, whose owner had died of AIDS.
 
3.  Neither the vet nor the physician, any one of several contacted, would
write a letter to Ferrets NorthWest stating what Edward Lipinski wanted
expressed in plain old simple American english, the following.
 
4.  I, ___________________ MD or DVM, guarantee, without equivocation, that
any future owner of ferret,___________________, absolutely can not and will
not contract the viral disease known as HIV/AIDS from said ferret.
 
5.  Upon questioning the local AIDS political action group for such written
affirmation and assurance, I was offered a Letter of Understanding to
present to any potential adopter of this particular ferret.  The letter was
to appear as though I had written it to assure any potential adopter that
this ferret was perfectly safe.  The letter was dictated to me with the
understanding that I would paraphrase it, sign it and then present the
original to the Officer of the AIDS organization for his signature of
approval.
 
6.  It was suggested by several professionals with whom I spoke that the
problem could be avoided by withholding from any future adopter of said
ferret any information about its source or the health of the previous owner!
 
7.  What did I do?  What would you have done in similar circumstances?
 
          How about it folks . . . ferret kisses anyone?
[Posted in FML issue 1825]