This is so disheartening. Here is the rest of the story. Mike and his fiancee got married. Mike and his new bride are getting a divorce. The children (ages 3 & 1) have been taken from the woman by the state and placed in foster care (reason unknown). Woman is angry at everyone so calls and reports this alleged bite four and a half months after it happens. The pediatrician NEVER SAW THE CHILD. Only talked to the woman on the phone. The pediatrician determined that an exposure had taken place and said he wanted the ferret destroyed. Rebecca gave the ferret to someone who was willing to go to jail. The warrant was issued and when they got to Rebecca's and she told them she no longer had the ferret, they said they didn't care who had it SHE was going to jail. As I said yesterday, she has a grandfather (not father) with alzheimers and is raising her grandson. You can imagine the fear she had for her family. She asked that Thunder be brought back to be destroyed. This occurred at 3:30pm today and I'm sure the ferret was dead by 3:40. Now, in a court of law, under oath I heard Dr. Stobierski and Dr. Hall say that they can only advise on these situations and that it is up to the local health departments to make the decisions regarding these cases. Remember that Rebecca was called by the Shiawasse Health Dept. and assured after she had answered their questions that everything was ok and they would not be coming for her ferret. They did the right thing and then MDCH stepped in an overrode their decision. So, it is clear that they lied under oath. It is also clear that they are not protecting the public health, they are just killing ferrets. They took the word of a Dr. who had no contact with the child, and the word of a woman who is obviously not doing something right if the State took her children away, and said they were doing it for the safety of the child. There is no proof that a bite even occurred!! This is so obviously wrong and so obviously being ignored by the people who have the power to make it stop. I firmly believe that the CDC could stop this insanity if they wanted to. I think as long as they keep saying they need more studies the money will keep coming and the guarantee of at least another years work. In the meantime we have situations like we do in Michigan. I wonder how those responsible can sleep at night? Please everyone. Contact your state health department and under the Freedom of Information Act request the number of ferrets destroyed and tested for rabies year by year for at least 10 years back. This info should be sent to Troy Lynn Eckhart and on the rabies page in Kodos kozykingdom web site. I would bet there have been thousands of ferrets destroyed in the last ten years. I am so sorry we couldn't save him. [Posted in FML issue 2020]