Hi all,
 
I'd like to share a very special story with you all.  Many of you know me,
and for those of you that don't-rest assure, you will see my name around a
lot in the future.  My name is Cathy Sitek- I am the Assistant Director of
Michigan Ferret Rescue and Adoption Network.  I am owned by 8 beautiful
fuzzies and here's my story.  I hope you take the time to read it and I
hope it makes you think.
 
I don't shelter, but, I hold, foster, run and nanny for 2 shelters here in
MI.  I purchased some ADV tests for my fuzzies-figured with all the talk
and concern-and since I show-maybe I should test??
 
Well, I bought them and threw them in a drawer-I'll get to them when I
have time-no rush-no concern-I'm sure my babies will be negative.  They
sat..........and sat....... in that drawer.  There had been talk that one
of our shelters had been eposed to ADV and I had recently fostered one of
her babies-Guess I should pull out those tests, huh?
 
So, I began testing.  Concerned over that particular ferret and one other
that had been shown in the same ring and right behind White Russian a few
years back-I tested them 1st.  NEGATIVE!!  YIPEE!!  Ok-no prob-with the
rest.  Just a formality now.  Ferrets #3-7 were NEGATIVE!!..  YIPEE!!  As
I tested #8-"A Lil' Bit of Hope" she's called-I was just trying to get
done with it all.
 
I went and poured a cup of coeffee and returned to read the results.  There
were TWO lines!!!  "Can't be" I said.  Something's wrong-it'll change-the
test line will disappear-must not have waited long enough.
 
Guess what??  It didn't change.  How could this be?  I'm just a "normal"
ferret owner.  I'm so careful when I take them anywhere.  No one handles
my babies and I always clean and disinfect and isolate all newcomers.
 
Well, folks, the line didn't disappear and my "Hope" is ADV positive.  I
first called Mary Mewton of MKARESQ who is a friend of mine, and has ADV
personals.  Shaking and crying I tired to figure out if the test was wrong.
Patient and kind we discussed options and she told me to call Dr. Stephon.
I did, again, hoping it was just a defective test.  He told me no, she was
positive and I should find an ADV positive shelter to surrender her to.
OH MY GOD!!!  Mary called Dr. Stephenson to get a PCR on her-we did-she's
not shedding at this time.  Good news!!  And Hope will remain here.  Loved
always.
 
Sooooooooooo, the moral of the story?  If you've read this whole post
and still don't think it can happen to your ferrets or family YOU ARE
WRONG!!!!!
 
ADV IS NOT SELECTIVE AND "IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE"
 
PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE--
Test your ferrets for ADV-all of them.  It's the only way this disease
will get under control.  If I had stopped after testing just the 2 I was
concerned about, I never would have known about Hope.
 
I pray that I've touched the heart strings of just one of you out there
and you will touch another.  ADV is an evil, destructive disease and must
be stopped.  No ferret deserves it-no family deserves it.
 
Cathy Sitek
[Posted in FML issue 3514]