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From: Rbossart@aol.com
4 Li'l Paws Ferret Shelter
Merrimack, NH
Date: Sat,
4 Sep 1999
In
a message dated 9/4/99 8:55:46 AM, NYCFerrets writes:
1)
Roughly how many ferrets does your shelter take in a month?
| Until
last year, we were the largest ferret shelter in NH, based
on the number of ferrets that did come through the shelter.
We were averaging about 100 ferrets a year. We have had no
trouble placing them; average turn around time was about 3
months. |
| There
have been no reports of feral ferrets. |
| Some
of the found ferrets, appeared to be recent escapees, judging
from there nails and coats, or were near death from starvation.
|
2)
Roughly how many ferrets (on average) entering your shelter are
"escaped or dumped" -i.e. Found outside as strays -vs- being handed
over by the actual owners.
| Found
ferrets are a very small part of the turn-ins. |
| In fact
we usually name the ferret after the town were they were found
and have not had to repeat many names. Perhaps 1 - 4 per year
were found; |
| average
of less than 2 per year.
|
3)
To the best of your knowledge, has legalization of ferrets in NH
lead to an increase of escaped or dumped ferrets?
| That's
an obvious question. If ferrets were illegal before there
were few or no ferrets to escape or be dumped. Since legalization
there are more ferrets and therefore more ferrets to escape
or to be dumped. |
| Is
it a problem here? No. Occasionally we'll get a report about
a found baby "ferret" that will turn out to be a weasel. So
far, we've "rescued" three weasels and two mink. |
4)
How has the legalization of ferrets in NH (1993?) affected the following:
-
Health of ferrets in NH
| Major
improvement in ferret health since legalization. |
| Vets
are learning how to treat ferrets. Better ferret foods (like
Totally Ferret) are now available across most of the state.
Vaccination requirements are known and better followed. |
-
Temperament/socialization of ferrets in NH
| There
has been a major improvement in temperament/socialization
simply because of better education of the owners. |
| Information
is being supplied to vets, pet stores, and individuals on
how to care for and train ferrets. We hold an annual Ferret
Awareness Day outing in Merrimack every year, with one of
the main emphasis being on education. This September 18 will
be our fifth year doing this. We average about 700 - 1000
people attending from all over New England. |
-
Likelihood of ferrets being "dumped" or set loose in the state of
NH
| This
was covered above. |
| Very
small percentage and growing smaller. |
| We now
have three licensed ferret shelters in the state and have
taught the local Humane Societies how to care for ferrets
so that some are now taking in ferrets along with dogs and
cats. |
-
Bite incidents
Actually there
are probably fewer reported bite incidents now that the rabies issue
has been resolved (no statistics, just my impression). Prior to
legalization and the new Compendium Recommendation, doctors were
terrified of ferrets causing rabies. All ferret bites were treated
as a rabies potential and people were reporting licks and scratches
as bites. There is a much calmer approach now and I imaging that
most people treat it like they would a scratch by a kitten or puppy
- common and nothing to worry about.
*Any
other comments on "pre" vs. "post" legalization of ferrets in NH?
| All
in all the legalization has been good for both the people
and the ferrets. |
| We're
seeing better care for the ferrets now that people can meet
and talk with other ferret owners and vets learn more and
more about them. People who couldn't own interactive pets
before because of restrictions on time and living space are
thoroughly enjoying their playful and affectionate pet ferrets.
Ferrets don't bark to disturb the neighbors, kill birds or
wildlife or otherwise make pests of themselves. Being spayed/neutered
when sold means that we don't see the overpopulation problem
that we have with dogs and cats. Ferrets make good neighbors.
|
5)
Who do you consider to be the top ferret vets in your area? Is there
a particular one that your shelter uses?
No question
on that one. |
| Dr.
Mike Dutton at Weare Animal Hospital
603-529-4999. He probably sees over 1000 ferrets a year in
his practice, and has been treating ferrets for over 10 years.
He's undoubtedly the most ferret knowledgeable vet in New
England. |
| He loves
ferrets. His staff loves ferrets. I know he'd be willing to
write a letter for you. |
6)
Any comments on the quote:
"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. "
| I really
wonder where he got his information. Some of it sounds like
it's right out of the Kizer and Constantine report distributed
by the State Public Health Department before ferrets were
legalized and we got our quarantine laws. |
|
Our
club has attempted to contact him for his sources of information,
particularly concerning the biting instances, but he has
refused to accept or return any of our calls. I've been
following the ferret issues here in NH since legalization.
The
worst bite cases I've been able to track down were: a woman
had her finger scratched when she stuck it in a cage full
of kits a Band-Aid for her and three kits killed; a baby
had a tiny scratch below one eye when a ferret climbed
into her crib and caught a nail on her skin in the process.
Both cases made headlines. No
eyelids chewed off, no ears or noses bitten off.
Yet
children are killed by pet dogs - one last year. These are
largely ignored. Look at the J. J. Sacks paper ("Fatal Dog
Attacks, 1989 - 1994;" Pediatrics, Vol 97 No. 6, June 1996)
on deaths by dogs; an average of 18 people a year killed
by dogs, many of them children and infants under the age
of two. If everyone owned ferrets instead of dogs, these
deaths wouldn't occur. By
banning ferrets, NYC is forcing people to make a choice
between dogs (who are proven to be a much greater risk to
public health) or cats who are also proven to be a much
greater risk not only to public health (Reported Cat Bites
in Dallas..." John Wright; Public Health Reports, July-Aug
1990) but also to the environment.
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7)
Any other comments:
Let me know
if I can be of any help.
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