L.I.F.E. FACT SHEET ON FERRET VS DOG BITES

The incidence of injuries caused by ferrets biting humans in the United States is quite low compared to dogs.

Population estimates

PIJAC (the Pet Industry Joint Action Council) estimated as of December 1995 there were 54.2 million dogs and 5 million ferrets. Performance Foods, the largest producer of ferret-specific foods in the U.S., estimates there are 8-10 million.

The 1991 AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) estimate of 278,000 ferrets is clearly unrealistic, since as early as 1989 the California Department of Agriculture estimated there were 275,000 in that state alone. Moreover, USDA records obtained under FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) show that in 1994 Marshall Ferrets alone sold 82,918 ferrets. Assuming an average lifetime of 7 years and constant sales, there are probably 580,000 ferrets from this one breeder living in the US at any given time. If sales from all other breeders combined are only twice Marshall's sales, the minimum number of ferrets in the US is 1,740,000.

Bite statistics

In 1988, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) reported that between 1978-1988 there were between 1 ,000,000 and 3,000,000 dog bites per year, compared to 65 ferret bites. More recently, according to the Insurance Information Institute, 3.5 million dog bites are reported each year, half serious enough to require medical attention.

Under the heading "serious injuries," JAVMA reported dogs were responsible for 44,000 per year, versus 12 per year for ferrets.

Relative bite incidence

Comparing bite numbers with the diverse ferret population estimates, we have:

Even using the most conservative numbers on the estimated ferret population, an individual in contact with both species is 275 times more likely to be bitten by a dog than a ferret.

League of Independent Ferret Enthusiasts (L.I.F.E.), P.O. Box 11007, Burke VA 22009-1007 Fax (703) 913-1118.