Today on several lists there is an assertion appearing from someone having had pers. coms. with another with claimed credentials which differs markedly from what the public health veterinarians/ epidemiologists involved in the hurricane animal rescue have so far been saying more publicly. I am referring to the statement that rescued animals should be under vet observation in a hospital for 10 days or more before they are released to other shelters. (BTW, from what I have heard there are vets involved in the shelters which are processing these animals first. Vets are in the area with AVMA VMAT, UAN EARS, HSUS, ASPCA, and others.) I am sure there will be companion animals who would be best off being isolated, but I simply do not myself have the knowledge to be able to state the LEVEL of risk and if it will be much different from what shelters always face. Shelters already know that many times when they take in animals that risks may be present and I am sure they will discuss this with their vets, and have a vet visit as the first order of business. It also would not surprise that if the background of a given animal was unknown that it might be in one of the temporary shelters under observation before release. Remember that not all of these animals are of unknown background and some wound up in shelter situations because their families which saved them had no option, instead of by being found. Individual situations vary. At this point rather than engage in panic I would like to ask that medical professionals, vets, public health vets, other epidemiologists, those with emergency disaster rescues, and others who are informed, please, instruct us all. BTW, the copy of the original post is not as panicked as some of the more sensational posts that are offshoots from it, but instead gives good cleaning and home isolation advice, and uses the kinds of fudge words which illustrate that person knows that she/he is putting in some guesswork, as am I on this score -- and as is anyone on this score who is not in a related field. Sukie (not a vet) Ferret Health List co-moderator http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth FHL Archives fan and regular user http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org International Ferret Congress advisor http://www.ferretcongress.org [Posted in FML issue 4993]