ADV testing not necessary.  This makes no sense at all.  Has Kristine
Lunny been forgotten already & all the fear she went through.  Have all
of the other shelter moms & dads that have had to test & re-test because
of the ADV scare done it for nothing?  Doesn't anyone realize it will
take only one ferret that is ADV positive to infect many?
 
When we thought it was possible that the Utah kids that came to FL might
have been exposed to ADV in MO, we were scared.  Not knowing for sure how
it is transmitted from one ferret to another we didn't know if it had been
carried in here on someone's shoes that walked around the place in MO, or
on his clothes from handling the ferrets that came to FL.  Was it then
here?  Was it brought to my innocent little ones?  If I came in contact
with it on my shoes & I went someplace like a pet store would I be
bringing it there?  Or to someone's home that has ferrets?  Maybe that is
thinking in an extreme way but that was how I felt.  I was scared not only
for the Utah kids, for my kids but for others to.  Thankfully all of these
ferrets tested negative.  It was a rough time, one I didn't want to go
through again.
 
Then along came this other scare about ferrets testing negative before,
testing positive now.  Or the possibility that the Utah kids had it all
along so Jackie re-tested, heart in throat.  Again I am scared for my
kids, scared to leave the house because now I have 11 of the Utah kids
here, so if my kids wouldn't have been infected before from casual
contact, they sure would be now.  Jackie used money desperately needed
for other things to have all the ferrets she had left re-tested & thank
God they all came out negative again.
 
I look at these 11 sweet little faces every day & wonder what kind of hell
they went through in Utah.  I am thankful that they are out of it.  I
watch them play & sleep & eat, these innocents of our world.  I thank all
of the wonderful people here on this list that did something about them.
A large undertaking to say the least to do the Utah rescue.  People giving
of themselves, time & money to help get them out of there.  The shelter
moms & dads that don't have enough money to do what they do every day of
the year, stretched themselves so thin to take these kids in.  most of
them needing medical treatment, all being tested for ADV.  All of the
wonderful people that sent in money & much needed supplies for these kids.
One shelter helping another, everyone that gave so much, even if it was
one dollar.
 
Now I am in shock to read about the Tristate Ferret Extravaganza 2002 &
Symposium people saying "ADV Testing recommended, but NOT required"
I can only hope that this was Not agreed on by the speakers who should
know better.  I hope it is as much of a shock to them as to me & I am
sure others.  I don't post very much anymore & try to stay out of many
issues but I just couldn't shut up about this one.  I don't give a damn
who gets upset with me & if I get flamed I have a very good delete key &
use it very well.  I don't read crap like that so it is a waste to send
it to me or to even post it.  I am stating my opinion on this topic & that
is that.  If no one else agrees fine, that is up to you.  And btw----even
if I had the most beautiful prize winning ferret in the world I would
NEVER take it to any show no matter how much ADV testing was done, to me
it isn't worth the risk.  ADV may be the most dangerous disease out there
but it isn't the only one.
 
All it will take to infect many is one ADV positive ferret.
 
Lynn & Clan War Weasels
           &
  War Weasels Refuge
[Posted in FML issue 3743]