Ferret Lovers, Following is the out-dated, distorted, uninformed, biased, ferret-hating lying pack of drivel put out by the CACA SPCA of LA, who operates on donations from animal lovers such as us and was written by a Chris Cauble, who also has the unmitigated gall to tack on a DVM following his (or her) name! I don't know what most of you think about the return on the dollar we get from donating to the SPCA, but they've got the last damn dime they'll ever get from me. I couldn't get there with the url in Jazmyn's post, but www.digitalcity.losangeles.com (and then follow links) will get you there. "Except by special permit, owning ferrets in California is illegal, as deemed by the California Fish and Game Commission and endorsed by the Defenders of Wildlife who purport that ferrets are a threat to native species, public health, and agricultural activities. Additionally, they state that in the wild ferrets would be competing with and jeopardizing California's natural heritage. At an American Veterinary Medical Association conference (AVMA) in 1988, numerous photographs of extensive trauma to the face, nose, ears, and toes were shown of children which had been bitten by ferrets. Many of the attacks occurred while the kids slept. At that conference, ferret behavior was deemed "unpredictable," and that they are unacceptable as pets when children under the age of nine are in the household. The official position of the AVMA and the State and Territorial Epidemiologist Association is that ferrets are not recommended as pets. In addition to California, ferrets are illegal in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Georgia. The ferret is susceptible to a variety of bacterial infections and fungal, such as salmonella sp, escherichia coli, tuberculosis, listeriosis blastomycosis, histoplasmosis and dermatomycosis (ringworm). They can also carry heartworm and canine distemper. There is no approved vaccine at this time for ferrets; however, in 1993 a rabies vaccine was made available, but its effectiveness is unsure, according to Dr. Chinwe Thomas with the Los Angeles County Veterinary office. Despite the fact that ferrets are illegal, there are an estimated 500,000 ferret owners in California and the Southern California Ferret Society is working to legalize them as pets." Email to [log in to unmask] Glenn J. [Posted in FML issue 2169]