Good Morning,

Oddly enough as good timing would have it, a previous FML post on the
new law governing ferrets and rabies in Washington was a precursor to
my post this morning. Last week, I got a "big time" re-education on
Tennessee's state statutes as well as the City of Memphis' ordinances
governing rabies and how it affects ferrets. I spent the good part of
three days trying to save a stray ferret from certain death at the
hands of bureaucrats. In the end, I was not the one who saved this
poor little one -- Dr. Coleman, the veterinarian at Memphis Animal
Shelter, saved the ferret. The MAS never received the ferret but her
intervention on my behalf, did. Dr. Coleman contacted the Dr. Johnson
and advised him what the ferret's fate would be IF rabies control
picked it up from his clinic. They would not quarantine the ferret as
we all first thought, oh no--the ferret would be immediately killed
and a necropsy would be performed to determine if there was a positive
for rabies, or not.

This little one could have been a casualty of bad timing as this all
occurred last week between two holidays when most officials who could
have intervened were off on vacation. On Tuesday, December 27, 2011,
the ferret was picked up by a "Good Samaritan" and brought to a local
veterinary clinic. The man placed the wayward fuzzie in a clean, unused
garbage can and left the can with ferret inside at the clinic reception
area. Yikes... Unfortunately, the clinic worker attempted to pickup the
ferret from the garbage can without proper protection for both her and
for the ferret. Scared to death from all that it had been through, the
ferret....bit the worker and the bite was deep and drew blood.
Surprise... I was called and the clinic worker left a message for me
to come pickup the ferret BEFORE the ferret bit said worker. All in
the time period of about 10 minutes. When I returned the call, I was
informed of the "attack" and that the vet had placed a call to Shelby
County Rabies Control. The receptionist told me that they could not
surrender the ferret to me and Rabies Control was picking up the
ferret. ...it was then that I had a really bad bad feeling...

Did some quick research and my heart sank to my stomach. And, please
please pay attention to this as it could verily well save your ferret's
life. What I thought I knew about state and local laws governing rabies
vaccinations and ferrets was true enough, but what I did not realize
was how a governmental agency, such as the rabies control division of
the local health department, procedurally handled bite cases involving
animals and humans. This agency unilaterally and contrary to local and
state laws not only takes control and possession of the "accused"
animal, it does not follow the required 10-day quarantine period. The
City of Memphis ordinances specify that MAS takes control and
possession and quarantines the animal for the specified 10-day period.
Not only that, the state and local laws requiring rabies vaccinations
ONLY specifies dogs and cats -- nothing about ferrets. To summarize,
rabies vaccinations in ferrets are not required by state and local
laws, only as to dogs and cats, and in the event of a bite incident,
local animal control divisions are to have possession and custody of
that animal and a mandatory quarantine period begins. Again, only dogs
and cats are specified in the law. AND, most importantly, state and
local laws require that all municipal animal shelters "HOLD" any stray
animal for a designated period of time to allow the true owner to come
forward and claim said stray animal -- and, further in the case of a
bite-related incident, to allow that owner to produce proof of
vaccinations or have a qualified veterinarian for that animal certify
the animal is in proper health and free of rabies. In the case of a
bite-related incident, the "HOLD" and "QUARANTINE" periods are to run
concurrently.

Good Lord....rabies control (department of health) is allowed to secure
custody and control of any animal accused in a bite incident and, if a
stray, is killed immediately to perform a necropsy to determine if
positive for rabies. No time is allowed for an owner to come forward
and produce proof of vaccination or its veterinarian to certify proper
health of that animal. That's absurd and in violation of local and
state laws.

To make a very long story short....following at least two dozen calls,
nearly thirty e-mails to various government officials including both
directors at the animal shelter, the rabies control office, various
county health officials, the mayor's office, a judge's office, a US
Congressman's office, two state senators' offices, etc etc. -- one
candid discussion between two veterinarians and a retraction of the
call to rabies control stopped the killing and necropsy of this poor
little ferret who's only crime was that he was mishandled by a
veterinary clinic worker who knew, or should have known, better. I
have been assured that this individual will follow proper procedure
from this time forward. I just wish the veterinary clinic had called me
back and told me the following day that they had decided to quarantine
the ferret themselves and call off Rabies Control...it would have saved
me time and lots and lots of frustration, not to mention crying myself
to sleep at night.

The ferret will live and we will pick him up next Wednesday -- But the
real problem remains. I suspect the reason Rabies Control Division
(Health Department) has been allowed to act in violation of laws
heretofore is because no one has come forward to contest it. That has
now changed.....!

As we all know, local and state laws are varied as they pertain to the
requirements for rabies vaccinations and, most especially, how it
pertains to our beloved ferrets. As a shelter mom, I counsel and warn
all adoptors, and anyone else that asks, that even though state and
local laws only specify cats and dogs, you must MUST vaccinate every
single year without fail because of the "what-ifs". CYFB (cover your
ferret's butt)!!! And you must have proof of vaccinations readily
available or have your veterinarian secure these certifications for
you.

PLEASE KNOW YOUR LAWS! Even if you think you know what those laws are,
revisit those laws now, maybe they have changed since you last reviewed
them. Determine which governmental agency has absolute control of
animals in bite-related incidents and know what those procedures are.
Shelter moms and dads, counsel your people - they must must vaccinate
every year for rabies even though your local laws do not require them.
Ferret's lives depend on this.

Just think, if I had not gotten involved....if two veterinarians had
not discussed this situation, this ferret would be dead and no one
would have known about it and no one would have known that this was
in violation of state and local laws. Scary to even guess if this has
ever happened to another ferret. But, I am going to find out, you can
be certain about that.

Maren Qualls
Raisins From Heaven Ferret Rescue & Sanctuary
Hernando, MS

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[Posted in FML 7296]