To anyone concerned with the Kansas bite case: I guess everyone knows that it didn't go well in Kansas today. Just to reference you-- a workman for Kansas power and light was nipped by a ferret in the arms of a 13year old girl in her own home. The ferret, waiting in the car, was stolen and the owner, Rita McDowell doesn't know where it is. The man who was nipped took the precaution of getting a tetanus shot -whence all the trouble -the doctors, etc. He refuses to press charges and refuses to take the shots. Rita and her husband who is a county sheriff deputy (and not the owner of the animal) were given a court order to produce her ferret by 3pm tomorrow, Dec. 22, for testing or go to jail. If sent to jail, Mr. McDowell will most surely lose his job. Their lawyer is back pedaling and refuses to file an appeal. The State has not produced the victim, or proof of the bite, or even his name. The judge found that ferrets were WILD ANIMALS and that even if they had been given IMRAB that by Kansas law, it didn't count for wild animals. The court refused to read any of the vast amount of documentation, including scientific studies, that had been sent by the CDFA, FURO, AFA, LIFE, & STAR, and a personal statement sent by Dr. James Gaines, an authority on the subject. One of their big points was that no expert witness was present to testify to the fact that ferrets were domestic, no professional was there to stand up for ferrets in court. Troy Lynn Eckart of Ferret Family Services in Manhattan who is supporting Rita on this, works for Kansas State University, you know, the university that is undertaking the rabies study and has sent flyers around to everyone. No one at Kansas State would come to the hearing to testify that ferrets were domestic animals, even though they were asked. They didn't want to be involved. For want of one voice, today's battle was lost. Thank you, Kansas State. PS... Dr. F.A. Hoffman has offered to fly out at her own expense to be that witness. I hope they will give her a chance to speak. Way to go, Freddie Ann! If anyone out there knows any good lawyers in Kansas, please call Troy Lynn at 913-532-6315-day, or 494-8415-at home. Troy Lynn is also establishing a defense fund, contact her. Any help in any way will be greatly recieved. Ann Davis, League Of Independent Ferret Enthusiasts [Posted in FML issue 0676]