Hi, folks.
 
I'm sitting here, thinking about ferret stuff.  When am I not, right?  In
the new Health Code revisions, the people who want to maintain ferrets on
the "Wild and dangerous" list cite a study compiled in California during
1987-88, which aparently shoes a patern of ferrets attacking people.
 
Further, in 1994, the National Association of State Public Health
Veterinarians and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
expressed serious concerns about the safty of ferret ownership, and in a
1998 statement, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommended
that "No ferret be left unattended with any individual incapable of
removing himself or herself from the ferret."
 
How do we counter this?  "I love my ferret" is not going to carry much
weight with the board of health.  These are good people, but they're
worried about the safty of several million New Yorkers, living in
conditions that aren't duplicated anywhere else in the country.  The City
points to the fact that ferrets can pass through very small openings, and
draws the conclusion that they could use risers, vents, even rodent holes
to pass from one apartment to another... and if they look at the works
cited, they get frightened of one person's ferret biting another's baby.
 
How do I counter that?  What can I say, what studies can I cite that will
convence them that there's nothing to fear there?  Certainly, I know that
/my/ ferrets never bite hard enough to break skin, but that's not
scientific evidence.
 
Anyone with advice... I could use it.
 
/sigh/
 
Tonight, I was making some nesting boxes from planting pots, as shown in
Modern Ferret, and advised by Bob C.  (By the bye, I find a dremel tool
works better than a manual file).
 
At various points, I put Cinderferret (La Belle Furet sans Merci) into the
pot, to check and see if the hole was big enough.  As she was squirming
out the first time (Not quite, dad!  A little more, please!), I noticed
that she's got a bald patch right between her shoulderblades.
 
Now I'm worried about her.  I know, I know... take her to the vet.  But
that doesn't help me tonight, when I'm scared, when I'm thinking of all
the nasty and fatal things that cause ferrets to have bald patches.
 
She lies on my tummy and turns the pages of my books for me.  She tries to
steal earrings out of my ears.  She's always swiping the remote for my
stereo.  (I sometimes tease her that she only loves me for my remote).
 
How will I deal with it if she's seriously sick?  How will I possibly make
it through the day without her?
 
*=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
 
    --Fred Allen
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 Regan S. Pylman                                 [log in to unmask]
             http://www.coyotesdaughter.com/~azrael
[Posted in FML issue 2666]