Thought some FMLers would like to read this quote that I came upon while searching for articles on ferrets/biting/rabies/etc. "Can you catch rabies from your ferret? Probably not" (Apr. 24, 1981). JAMA, 245, p. 1628. "Among other things, the ferret is used in medical research for the study of respiratory viruses. On one occasion a few years ago, a medical investigator who had injected such a virus into a ferret bent down face-to-face to see if the little creature had watery eyes or other signs of infection. "The ferret picked that moment to sneeze - promptly giving the infection back to the researcher." I know that we don't like to read about ferrets being used as lab animals, but maybe this is some sign that the idea of karma (or what goes around comes around) works for ferrets? :) Also, please listen to Troy's message in the last FML regarding writing letters to Dr. Clark. Pass on the info to national/state/local ferret organizations you may belong to, as well as to vets who you know under- stand what our little furry friends are really like. Check the references if you're reading letters to the editor or scientific articles on ferrets. I saw an anti-ferret letter in the Western Journal of Medicine that cited, to back up their assertions of the vicious nature of ferrets, their own pamphlet (they work for the CA Dept. of Health Services - but self-citation isn't uncommon at all), a JAMA article on ferret attacks (which featured 3 cases of attacks on infants and some stats, but NO comparisons to dog attacks, etc.), and 2 books published in England in the mid-1800's! Regarding the latter, I think ferrets have changed since then. I haven't looked at the books (yet; the library here may or may not have copies), but they may be describing the European polecat, and not our dear pets at all. Please, we need everyone to work on the acceptance of ferrets as legitimate pets, even if you live in a great state. Other people and their furries need you, and your own ferret may nip someone in a FFZ or kill-and-test area someday - unless we can change attitudes and laws. Denise (who's still not sure how safe her furry friends are, as the state and county haven't sent requested info) * Rocko & Randall ("Mommy, why don't you take us on walks here like you do when we visit Daddy in Illinois?") * Grumpy (teddy bear hamster) [Posted in FML issue 0938]