Here we go again:
 
A ferret in Norristown, Pennsylvania, is being sought for confiscation, kill
and test in yet another bite incident.  This one is even more screwed up
than the last, if that's possible.
 
Maureen McDivitt has two ferrets, Giacomo and China.  She had three, but one
recently passed away.  She decided that she was going to get a third ferret,
but first she realized that she should have Giacomo taken to a veterinarian
as he has never been to a vet before and she didn't want him to pass any
illnesses on to the new ferret.  Giacomo is five years old.
 
She made an appointment for Giacomo to go to the vet.  She informed the vet
that he did not have current rabies vaccines, but that she wanted him to be
vaccinated.  A friend took Giacomo to the vet for her while she was at work.
The friend informed the recepionist not to pet the ferret as the ferret was
very nervous around other people and he would bite.  The receptionist heeded
the warning and did not pet him.
 
While the ferret was in the exam room, with the vet present, another
employee of the office (most likely a vet tech, we assume) approached
Giacomo, who was on the shoulder of Marueen's friend.  Before he saw the
employee reach for Giacomo, the ferret, frightened, bit the employee.  The
vet was distressed by the situation and informed Maureen's friend that
animal control had to be alerted and that most likely Giacomo would have to
be killed and tested for rabies.
 
Maureen was alerted at work by the veterinarian of the situation.  She
immediately got in contact with local SPCA offices who put her in touch with
LOS/Rose Smith, and the chain of phone calls began to find a way to save
Giacomo's fate.
 
My first question is, how can a bite inflicted upon an employee of a vet's
office be the basis of a kill and test?  I would have thought that any
employee of a vet's office would have to have rabies tests prior to working
with the animals!  Apparently this is not the case here.  I am also baffled
that any veterinarian, who is supposed to be working for the needs and
protection of pets, would have started this whole mess.
 
If anyone knows the number for LAST CHANCE FERRET RESCUE I need it ASAP.  At
the Harrisburg show in May, a female lawyer was at the show and was
supposedly somehow associated with the Last Chance Ferret Rescue.  Maureen
wants to hire a lawyer ASAP but is concerned that she will not be taken
seriously if she just picks one from the phone book.  If anyone out there
knows a lawyer in the Norristown/King of Prussia area that would take this
case very seriously, please call me at (610) 367-0525 or call Maureen at
(610) 279-6887.
 
Maureen was not aware of the Kodo/Kelly cases prior to this incident (but
the veterinarian WAS) and she has informed me that she will do anything
necessary to fight this.  Animal control has not been in contact with
Maureen as of now (7:30 p.m.  Tuesday).  She expects a visit tomorrow.
Giacomo has *never* been out of the house in five years.  Never out for a
walk, never to the vet, nothing.  The veterinarian involved told Maureen
that he was aware of the Kodo case and that a bat could have bitten Giacomo
and the fact that the ferret hadn't been out of the house wouldn't mean that
the ferret couldn't have rabies.  (Did this guy once work for the Michigan
Animal Control, or what?!?!?!?)
 
Giacomo has since escaped the home and Maureen is unaware of his location.*
 
EVERYONE please, if you can offer suggestions, I'm in the market for them.
I followed the Kodo case but since I don't live in Michigan I wansn't on the
front lines and I don't know what action to take here.  I am also awaiting a
phone call from the IFRIC volunteer that is researching Pennsylvania laws to
find out exactly where we stand on this matter legally.
 
You always think, "it will never happen here...." EVERYONE, it can happen to
you too!  Even in the safest of all places, a veterinarian's office where
you are getting a rabies vaccine for your furball.
 
Kymberlie Becker
Director, Pennsylvania Ferret Rescue Association
"Forget Puppy Love...There's nothing Greater than Ferret Love!" TM
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/ferretlady
[Posted in FML issue 2011]