I thought this would be of interest to everyone ... To: Ela Heyn @ Price Waterhouse-US From: SENCDINGELL @ senate.state.mi.us @ Internet Date: 06/06/97 01:05:50 PM We have received many e-mail messages and phone calls and some of you may be getting some repeated information, for that I am sorry, but here is an update of what Senator Dingell is trying to do to help Kodo and all ferrets in the state of Michigan. Representative Eileen DeHart in the Michigan House of Representatives is working on some similar projects. Senator Dingell has introduced a bill that would change the classification of ferrets from wild or exotic animals to companion animals. This would put them into the same category as cats and dogs, giving them a reasonable quarantine for observation when a bite occurs. If the ferret does not show symptoms within that possible shedding period, it would be released. Many people have shown support for this bill, but have asked what can be done for Kodo now? The legislature has no power to get involved with the Judiciary Branch and the decisions that it renders due to our system of checks and balances, however, we have just introduced a resolution urging the Departments of Agriculture and Community Health to take a better look at the studies and to change their recommendation in Kodo=27s case. Below is a copy of this Senate Resolution for you to read. *************************************************************************** Senator Dingell offered the following resolution: Senate Resolution No. ? - (don't know yet) A resolution urging the Departments of Agriculture and Community Health to update their standards for which ferret bites and rabies risk are assessed and act affirmatively to achieve clemency for Kodo, a ferret being executed on Monday June 9th due to an innocent incidence of recent happening. Whereas, Kodo the ferret has been the catalyst for a movement towards changing out-dated and incorrect rules concerning the treatment of ferrets as pets in our state. The Domestic Ferret is believed to have been first domesticated approximately 2500 years ago. It is a developed species and depends on mankind for its continued survival; and Whereas, The domestic ferret arrived in the Americas in the first sailing ships and around the turn of the century they were bred for their fur and for rodent control in ships, barns and silos. Ferrets did not disappear with the ban. Ferrets proved their usefulness during WWII by running wires through conduits in the large bombers. In fact they are still used to run fiber optic strands in long, twisting conduits; and Whereas, Ferrets as pets began to rise in popularity in the 1970's. In those states where ferret ownership was restricted, sentiment began to grow toward easing or eliminating ownership restrictions. Today there are an estimated 10 - 12 million ferrets in the U.S. making them the third most popular companion animal in the country; and Whereas, For ferrets, horses, and a number of other species, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has in the past expressed uncertainty as to the period between rabies infection and the animal beginning to shed the virus. The CDC has recommended in all cases of bites that an individualized inquiry be made. For ferrets, this seems to always result in an order to kill the ferret. For unexplained reasons, horses are not so treated; and Whereas, In February 1990, the first rabies vaccine was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for use in ferrets. Rone Merieux, with their IMRAB-3, was shown to be at least 94.4% effective in preventing rabies in ferrets for up to one year following vaccination. This was verified through testing 90 ferrets, 3 times the number of animals required by the USDA. The vaccine has a proven effectiveness greater than required (86.7%, a number derived for the dog.); and Whereas, 3 distinct studies have been done by U. Forster at the Paul Erilich Institute in Germany; J. Blancou, M. Aubert, and M. Artois from the French National Institute for the Study of Rabies; and J.F. Bell of the United States. All these studies show a mean-time from onset of the symptoms, until death of 4.2 days, with a maximum of 7 days. These studies on three different rabies strains show that the ferret does not typically shed the virus; and Whereas, The cities of Saint Paul and St. Lewis Park, Minnesota require only that the ferret be examined by a veterinarian familiar with small animals. If the ferret is found to be healthy, vaccinated or unvaccinated, it is released back to its owner. A conservative approach to establishing a quarantine would be to consider *death* as an easily recognized symptom of rabies, and to establish the quarantine period at 7 days. This is the maximum time, from the initial onset of symptoms until death; and Whereas, In light of these recent studies on shedding periods in ferrets and past studies regarding this issue, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has changed their kill and test policy and created a 10 day quarantine period for ferrets recommended for most domestic ferret circumstances; and Whereas, The quarantine period is not meant to prove that the animal does not have the rabies virus; just that it was not capable of passing on the disease at the time of the bite. An animal cannot pass on the virus until the virus is secreted by the salivary glands during the final stages of the disease; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate, That the Michigan Departments of Agriculture and Community Health enlighten their views on ferret quarantine policies or the lack thereof, to make recommendations similar to those of the State of Massachusetts and to treat ferrets and their many owners with fairness and sympathy and to realize their place next to the canine and feline friends in our Michigan families; and be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Robert Jacobs, Kodo*s owner, as a symbol of our common cause. [Posted in FML issue 1959]