Not only is the perception of domestic ferrets wrong, but some of the groupings are not taxonomically correct. What it looks like is that the original version didn't involve actual biological info and then it just got carried along through the years. Allentown, PA Codified Ordinances (Part 7-#1) Dang it: pages 6 and 7 of CURRENT version: QUOTE Part Seven, General Offenses -- Animals --May 2007 20. Wild or Exotic Animal shall mean any animal of a species prohibited by Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, or otherwise controlled by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It shall include any animal which is wild, fierce, dangerous, noxious, or naturally inclined to do harm. Wild animals, however domesticated, shall also include but not be limited to: Dog family (Canidae): All except domesticated dogs -- including wolf, fox, coyote, dingo, etc.; Cat family (Felidae): All except commonly accepted domestic cats -- including lions, pumas, panthers, mountain lions, leopards, jaguars, ocelots, margays, tigers, wild cats, etc.; Bear (Ursidae): All bears, including grizzly bears, brown bears, black bears, etc.; Weasels (Mustelidae): All including weasels, martens, mink, wolverine, ferrets, badgers, otters, ermine, mongoose, etc.; Raccoons (Procynidae): All raccoons and civets; Primates (Hominidae): All sub-human primate; Porcupine (Erethizontidae): All porcupines; Skunks; Snakes: All venomous and constricting snakes; venomous lizards; Crocodilians: All alligators, caimans, crocodiles, gavials, etc.; Venomous fish and piranha; Venomous invertebrates. END QUOTE You will need to use the domestication resources out there and also the rabies regulations Don't forget to speak with and quote your state public health vets (Find them in the NASPHV website.) and any state authorities who provide licenses and permits. Here are some rabies info resources, general resources, epizooic and zoonotic resources: USDA Lists of Ferret Studies (very comprehensive): by topic category 2002-2006 http://nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/Ferrets06/ferrets.htm#contents by topic category 1991-2002 http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/ferrets/ferrets.htm by topic category before 1991 http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/oldbib/ferretla.htm Another excellent place to find ferret studies (Just use ferret and ferrets and mustela as the search term for finding recent ones): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi Rabies: Professional information: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/professional/professi.htm CDC Q&A on ferrets, dogs, and cats in relation to rabies: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/Ques&Ans/q&a.htm National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians: the latest Compendium of Animal Rabies Control and Prevention is in documents: http://www.nasphv.org The rabies section here has useful data: http://www-micro.msb.le.ac.uk/3035/bushmeat/bush4.html Rabies info from the Immunization Action Coalition http://www.vaccineinformation.org/rabies/qandadis.asp Rabies info from Lawrence County, OH http://www.lawrencefire.com/safety_tips/rabies/rabies.asp Zoonotic info (some including rabies) but, please, notice that ferrets have fewer zoonoses than many pet species do Scroll to charts for quick info: <http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/rabies/pdf/qvra-rabies.pdf> A by-species outline of diseases that species of Carnivora get which can be shared with other species: http://focosi.altervista.org/veterinarymedicine_carnivora.html http://www.wvu.edu/~rc/acuc/occ_ferrets.htm Sukie (not a vet) Recommended ferret health links: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/ http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/ http://www.ferretcongress.org/ http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html [Posted in FML 5903]