I am pleading with all of you wonderful folks to help us in our efforts to stop the murder!!! I am from the Great Lakes Ferret Association (Michigan) and I have posted as few times seeking info / help regarding Michigan's Kill and Test Policy. We need to act fast if we are to save an innocent fuzzy life! I just received a call from our president, Micki Windgate and this is the horrible story that she related to me: On Monday, a young woman from Grand Rapids, Michigan who owned two ferrets, had the neighbor drop by with his two children. I am not too clear as to the details of exactly what happened, but one child was bitten by one of her ferrets and the other child was scratched by the other ferret. The father took the children to the doctor's for treatment. Michigan Department of Public Health was notified and the county animal control was ordered to confiscate the animal and have it beheaded and tested. The ferret was in the custody of the family's vet who pleaded with animal control based upon the fact that both animals were up to date with vaccinations , were strictly house pets, and never had any opportunity to have been exposed to the virus. Dr. Mary Grace Stobierski (MDPH Epidemiologist) would not listen. The horror-filled woman called Miki yesterday and excruciatingly, through her tears, related that they had killed her pet. To make matters worse, Dr. Stobierski is coming after the other one also (for the scratch - or because they couldn't be positive that they tested the right one). The young woman's neighbor was shocked and appalled when he found out that her ferret was destroyed. Micki has retained a lawyer some time ago to intervene these matters and I have been trying to pressure the MDPH into adopting a logical risk assessment. Dr. Stobierski is clearly the problem, but, like most of the public health vets against ferrets, she will not listen to reason or act rationally. I have since contacted her superior, James K. Haveman and also Senator Christopher Dingell. Mr. Haveman's aides have been directed by Senator Dingell to revue material which I have sent, and to change their policy to adopt a risk assessment. So far there has been no action taken. PLEASE - I AM BEGGING - PLEASE: Write a COURTEOUS and POLITE message stating your outrage at this deplorable situation. Do not attack any individual!!! You can send the message to James K. Haveman, director, Michigan department of Community Health. His email address is: ====> [log in to unmask] Please copy Michigan's Govenor, John Engler. His email address is: [log in to unmask] Remember , please be polite to these gentlemen. Governor Engler works closely with the GLFA so we don't want to damage any relationships. I have included a copy of a recent post to Mr. Haveman in order to supply you with some background info. Please don't copy the letter but feel free to use any of the info.These people get turned off if they think that they're getting a form letter. ==================================================================== Dear Mr. Haveman, As a concerned resident, I must bring a matter to your attention. I believe that one of your department workers has gotten herself in an embarrassing predicament that has serious implications. I am referring to Dr. Mary Grace Stobierski and her position on the killing and testing of all domestic ferrets involved in a bite or scratch incident. Please be assured that I have done my homework well and that I have a wealth of supportive documents and professional opinions to warrant making this request: I simply ask that you have a conversation with Dr. Stobierski and ask her the following questions: 1.) Why isn't a risk assessment the underpinnings of MDPH's 'ferret bites to people policy'. A risk assessment is the course of action recommended by experts such as Dr. Charles Rupprecht - CDC (he related this to me personally), and Dr. Suzanne Jenkins (in her cover letter for the 1996 Rabies Compendium). 2.) Why does Michigan require ferrets be vaccinated yearly against rabies (at a cost of approximately $25 per vaccination) yet does not recognize the USDA's approval of IMRAB-3 (94.4% effectiveness vs. 86.7% effectiveness required for dogs) thereby requiring euthanasia and testing for immunized ferrets involved in a reported bite? 3.) Why is Michigan's policy inconsistent with other states who adopt risk assessment and / or quarantine (such as TX, MD, OH, MN, CO, VA, MO, etc.)? 4.) There have been a number of studies of rabies and the domestic ferret. What studies have been made on livestock and how are the results more conclusive than the ferret studies thereby warranting a quarantine period for livestock? 5.) What studies have been made on rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, etc. that have provided more conclusive evidence than the ferret study findings? 6.) Why does Dr. Stobierski feel that ferrets are such a risk to public health that "when a ferret bites a person, we advise that the animal be immediately euthanized and tested for rabies, regardless of its rabies vaccination status"? In all of recorded history, there has never been a case of a human contracting rabies from a ferre. In the period from 1989 to 1994, there were 43,038 reported cases of rabies in animals. Of that 43,038, 928 were dogs, 1,425 were cats, 966 were cattle, 259 were horses/mules, 70 were sheep/goats, 8 were swine, and 4 were ferrets. 7.) In light of the existing data, how does Dr. Stobierski rationalize the expense (the cost of transport, testing, and a per animal cost of approximately $150 plus court costs) to taxpayers? I ask that you seek logical responses from Dr. Stobierski on the aforementioned questions. Based upon her responses, I would ask that you assess her ability to function in her present position and set policy for the state of Michigan. Please inform me of your findings. I have tried to refrain from any editorial comments or opinions. I respectfully request that you arrive at your own conclusions so that we may discuss this matter objectively. I look forward to hearing from you. Sorry for the length, BIG, but this is an emergency. PLEASE HELP! [Posted in FML issue 1602]