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Franklin Veterinary Clinic
39 Hill Road
West Franklin,
NH 03235
[tel. 603_934_7179]
To Whom It May Concern:
I have been a veterinarian
for 15 years, practicing first Meriden, CT, and for the past ten
years in Franklin, NH. My practice consists entirely of cats,
dogs, ferrets, and rabbits, and small rodents. I enjoy all of
these species, and each of them has it place. I would like to
lend my experience and expertise with ferrets to the controversy
surrounding their legalization in New York City.
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We
were unable to find out how many of those years Dr. Taylor
actually spent treating ferrets and how many ferrets Dr.
Taylor treated per year. Nor were we able to find any
information about any specialized training he may have
received with regard to the treating of ferrets. All of
these would be helpful in determining Dr. Taylor's "expertise
with ferrets". We did, however, find out that he
is no longer treating ferrets.
NYCFerrets.Com
wrote to the New Hampshire Shelters. All of which were
within 2 hours of this vet. When asked the question
"Who
do you consider to be the top ferret vets in your area?
Is there a particular one that your shelter uses?"
These were the responses from two out of the 3 licensed
shelters in NH. The third shelter did not reply.
•
4 Li'l Paws Ferret Shelter
• Ferret Services
of Freedom
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In the proper hands,
a ferret may be a wonderful pet, as I am sure, could a tiger cub.
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Comparing
a domestic animal to a wild endangered animal is ludicrous
and inappropriate.
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Nevertheless, both may
pose significant threats in the wrong circumstances.
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Any
animal can pose a significant threat in the "wrong circumstances".
To name a few:
- Large
Dog
- Small
dog
- Cat
- Bird/parrot
- Hamster
- Gerbil
- Guinea
pig
- Rabbit
- Human
being
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My fears, should ferret
become legal in NYC, fall in to several categories.
First, I fear they may
escape, or be dumped. Dozens show up in local shelters here all
the time
and turn feral.
Although they do not
tolerate cold well, a city environment will afford them with plenty
of protection from the elements.
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•
Domestic ferrets do not survive in the wild. From the
CDFA library *Link is out of order
• Californians for Ferret Legalization: Misinformation
of the Week #4 *Link is out of order
• Californians for Ferret Legalization: Misinformation
of the Week #9 *Link is out of order
•
Ferret Services of Freedom -Letter to Dr. Taylor
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This has been seen in
Hartford and Bridgeport CT.
Lacking an innate fear
of man, these aggressive creatures
may have a profound effect
on the indigenous park species of birds and small mammals,
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•
Californians for Ferret Legalization: Misinformation of
the Week #1 *Link is out of order
• Californians for Ferret Legalization: Misinformation
of the Week #2 *Link is out of order
• Californians for Ferret Legalization: Misinformation
of the Week #3 *Link is out of order
• Californians for Ferret Legalization: Misinformation
of the Week #5 *Link is out of order
• Californians for Ferret Legalization: Misinformation
of the Week #7 *Link is out of order
• Domestic ferrets do not survive in the wild. From
the CDFA library
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and my well have direct
contact with man.
That leads to my second
concern. Rabies is a big issue with ferrets, and although some
preliminary research has shown they may have an antemortem shedding
period for the virus that is similar to cats and dogs, the research
is not conclusive.
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Unlike
dogs cats and other animals, rabies is practically a non-issue
in ferrets. This is undisputed. There has NEVER
been a case of a ferret transmitting rabies to a human
being.
•
Compendium of Animal Rabies Control
• Jenkins Cover Memo to Transmittal of 1998 Compendium
*Link is out of order
• LIFE Fact Sheet on Rabies in Ferrets (February
1997) *Link is out of order
• Rabies and the Domestic Ferret, By Troy Lynn Eckart.(1997)
*Link is out of order
• Californians for Ferret Legalization: Misinformation
of the Week #10 *Link is out of
order
• Californians for Ferret Legalization: Misinformation
of the Week #11 *Link is out of
order
• CDFA Ferret Facts: Rabies *Link
is out of order
• The NYC DOH position on
Rabies in ferrets
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In addition, there is
an extremely limited choice of rabies vaccines which carry approval
for this species.
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Whether
or not there is a choice of vaccines is irrelevant.
There is a readily available approved Rabies
vaccine for ferrets.
IMRAB
3 is the approved Rabies vaccine for ferrets.
With the exception of cats and dogs, there is no
approved Rabies vaccine for any other household pet.
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Last, and most important,
is their interaction with infants. The reports of ferret attacks
on small infants are not exaggerated, nor are they isolated incidents.
Even the most ardent ferret proponent would not think of leaving
their infant unattended for even 60 seconds in the presence of
a ferret.
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No
responsible adult should leave an infant alone with any
animal unattended. It is irresponsible to leave
an infant lying on the floor, unattended
with a dog; To leave a cat in an infant's room unattended
overnight;
To leave an infant unattended with a macaw; To leave an
infant unattended with hamsters or gerbils or snakes running
loose. Leaving an infant alone and unattended with
any animal is reckless and irresponsible behavior.
As
for whether or not ferret "attacks" are isolated
incidents, the few alleged "attacks" on children
or infants that made it into to news were
often found to have been exaggerated and there were usually
suspicious circumstances (parents were passed out and
drunk at the time; the bites were later found to be from
rats; the ferret had been abused...) there are very few,
if any, legitimate reports of ferret attacks on small
children and infants.
•
CDFA Ferret Facts: Bite Data *Link
is out of order
• Photos of not-so-vicious
ferret & baby
•
Ferret Services of Freedom -Letter to Dr. Taylor
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I am personally aware
of two attacks upon infants caused by completely normal ferrets
that were patients of mine. One of the babies was nine or ten
months old when the attack happened. During the attack the child's
eyelid was torn off. In both instances the parents believed that
the ferrets were in "escape proof" cages.
We do not fully understand
why ferrets exhibit these behaviors. Some have suggested that
sounds or perhaps smells engage their hunting instincts.
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No
one has been able to find any proof of this attack. 4
Li'l Paws Ferret Shelter had some comments on this alleged
attack.
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4 Li'l Paws Ferret Shelter
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Whatever the cause, you
have the opportunity to prevent similar attacks of infants that
are bound to happen if ferrets are permitted in NYC. If it were
possible to go back and prevent their legalization here in NH.
I would do it, despite
the fact that individually I may enjoy them very much.
Sincerely,
Barry N. Taylor, DVM
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Certainly
everybody is entitled to their own opinions. However,
the Governor of New Hampshire seemed to be quite pleased
with the continued legalization of ferrets in New Hampshire
when she proclaimed June
12th 1997
"Ferret
Appreciation Day".
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