Ferrets in Transport to Pet Stores

I wanted to post this, when I posted the entry for the USDA proposal changes to Require animals being at least 8 weeks old before being considered for transport, but I cound not find it. This is really heart-breaking (tears are streaming down my face) about ferrets in transport, and I knew that it hard on them, but I did'nt realize what was involved until I read this:

Ferrets in transport

Tiny Noses and Airplanes

I am waiting for them. It is seven in the morning in the middle of September. I listen for the planes outside, the whining of their engines rising as they taxi closer to where I'm working. I'm a security guard at one of the major airline's air cargo centers. I know they're coming, but I don't know exactly which days they'll arrive. I keep my eyes open, watching for them. There are just a few people here with me. There are always just a few people here during working hours, labeling boxes, stacking boxes, driving forklifts, or sometimes just watching TV between arrivals. To these people, what I'm waiting for are just packages, but to me they are so much more.

A forklift rolls in, and I see them come in. I recognize the small wooden slats of the crates, measuring a foot and a half by two feet. There are two crates, one stacked on top of the other. They are on top of some bigger, heavier cargo - electrical components of some kind, bags of coolers containing medical specimens, and a few cardboard boxes with hazmat labels, all placed on the same pallet. The forklift drops them with a thud and drives off. I have to hurry. I only have so much time to do what I need to do. I walk quickly to the pallet of crates. As I get closer, tiny sets of eyes peer through the slats following the sound of my footsteps. I lean down and look through the slats of the top crate. There are about twenty kits, and most of them are awake. The rest are asleep, exhausted from the ordeal of their flight. The ones that are awake are excited by my presence. Some of the kits lick my nose while my face is against the slats. I hear a commotion from the bottom crate, and I move my face down and peer inside. This crate contains roughly another twenty kits, some standing on their back legs, noses sticking out from between the slats, watching me in curiosity.

The floors of both crates are an absolute mess. In a corner of each crate are two cans. One can has a tiny bit of water in the bottom, mixed with some feces. The majority of the water has spilled out of the can and has dampened the pine shavings that the kits are using as bedding. The other can contains a few pieces of kibble that somehow managed to stay in place during the flight. The rest of the kibble is spread throughout the floor of the crate, mixed in with damp shavings and more feces. The conditions of both crates are the same. This is how the kits have traveled for hours.

The cans are not very big, about the size of small tomato sauce cans. Not very much food and water for twenty kits, it would seem. And now the cans are fouled and nearly empty. I reach into my coat and pull out my plastic sports bottle. I fill it with fresh water from the water fountain. Slowly, I squeeze the bottle to release the water. I place the tip between the slats where the kits can reach it easily, but there are too many. The kits who are awake fight each other for a few licks from the bottle. They are so thirsty. They push and shove each other for the water, sometimes crawling on top of each other to get to the bottle, and sometimes pushing themselves up from the bottom. Almost all of the sleeping kits are awake now, roused by the commotion, and they join the melee. There are just too many, and even though I can refill the bottle, none are getting very much water as I stand in one place. I walk around the crate, sliding the water bottle between the slats, moving the bottle so that each of the kits can get a decent drink. After slowly walking around the top crate quite a few times, I move the bottle down to the bottom crate and circle around it in the same manner. The entire time, kits from both crates follow me as I circle around them, every once in a while standing on their back feet and sticking their noses out, vying for my attention. They are so cute, and as much as I want to stroke their little noses, I simply can't. There's not enough time.

I hear the whining of the jet engines getting louder. I have to hurry. More planes are coming in, and these pallets will probably be moved to make room for the newly arrived cargo. I don't always know where they take them. I refill the water bottle at the drinking fountain. I then squirt streams of water into all four cans in an effort to clean them. It is not a perfect job, but the cans are cleaner than they were before. Even as I'm doing this, the kits are trying to drink the dirty water that's streaming from the cans. Once finished, I fill one can in each crate with water. I then pull a bag of kibble I have brought from home out of my coat pocket and fill the other two cans with the kibble. A small scramble ensues, and the kits eat and drink from all four cans. They are no longer moving in the belly of a plane, so they should be OK. My job requires that I attend to other, more official duties. I have to leave the kits now. I need to make my rounds. The pet stores are supposed to send someone to pick up the kits as soon as possible after they arrive, but often that doesn't happen. If the kits are not picked up within a few hours, they are stored with luggage and other freight in a secured area, sometimes until the next morning. This is the last I will probably see of them.

It is the next morning; it is September eleventh. It is just after nine in the morning and all the freight-handlers are watching TV. There is nothing to do. All planes have been grounded. One of our planes has been flown into one of the Twin Towers, probably by terrorists. Shortly afterwards, another company's plane hits the other tower. Everyone is in shock. The fiery crashes are replayed over and over again, and we watch in disbelief. I realize that I will not be seeing any thirsty kits today. Most of our planes transport animals, and my heart sinks as I wonder about the plane that hit the tower. I reach into my pocket and feel my sports bottle, pathetically empty and useless. I close my eyes and think back to all those tiny noses between the slats, thirsty and looking for attention...Later, when I get home from work, the first thing I see as I walk in the door are my own tiny noses, sticking out of the bars of their cage, waiting for me as they always do. And even though their water bottles are mostly full, I empty and refill them - just because I can.

Also read this post, ferret organizations had tried to change the minimun age for transport several years ago, but it didn't pass. I hope that it passes this year.

ferrets

Ask the Department of Defense to End Live Animal Use in Medical Student Courses

Ferrets are being used to teach future pediatricians to intubate infants by the DOD. An intubation lab using live ferrets offered to third-year medical students (also offered at Wilford Hall). Ferrets can suffer fatal injuries during these labs.

A DOD directive renewed in 2005 mandates that non-animal alternatives be used if they exist. There are non-animal teaching methods that achieve the educational goals for all five animal labs mentioned above. Many of these alternatives are currently in use at the National Capital Area Medical Simulation Center, a state-of-the-art simulation center operated by USUHS.


PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)


Please help end the use of live animals for medical student training at U.S. military facilities. Live animals are used in medical student courses at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, Md., and Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. They may also be used at other military facilities. PCRM filed a petition for enforcement with the Department of Defense (DOD) on July 2, 2008, asking for an end to this animal use.

Please call, e-mail, fax, or write a letter to USUHS president Charles L. Rice, M.D., and the dean of the medical school Larry W. Laughlin, M.D., Ph.D., and politely ask them to end the school’s live animal lab program. Being polite is the most effective way to help these animals. Send an automatic e-mail>


Med School Is Asked to Stop Animal Use

The U.S. military's medical school in Bethesda is drawing criticism from a coalition of physicians and military officers for using live animals in some medical procedures, such as surgeries, a practice many medical schools have long abandoned.

Students and faculty at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences insert breathing tubes in live ferrets to practice intubation of human infants, and they perform surgeries on live pigs, according to a petition for enforcement to be filed today with the Department of Defense.

The petition alleges that the military's use of animals in medical classes "inherently and unavoidably causes pain, distress, and suffering to those animals."

Group says no more animals at military med school

SAN ANTONIO — A nonprofit group on Wednesday petitioned the head of the Army to end the use of live pigs and ferrets for surgical teaching and other instruction at the nation's military medical school, a practice the group says violates military regulations.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine petitioned Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, who is charged with implementation of the Defense Department regulation on use of laboratory animals, to end the use of live animals at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences.

USUHS is a medical school that graduates about 160 military and public health doctors per year. Currently, live animals are used for surgical and other instruction in San Antonio and at the school's main site in Bethesda, Md.

A military regulation, last updated in 2005, dictates that alternative methods to the use of animals be considered and used if they produce scientifically valid or equivalent results.

Dr. John Pippin, PCRM's senior medical and research adviser, said pigs are being used for surgical instruction and ferrets are being used to teach future pediatricians to intubate infants.

Such uses for live animals are no longer necessary because simulators offer equal or better instruction, he said. Only eight of the nation's 126 medical schools still use live animals, a practice that has been increasingly phased out with the growth in high-tech alternatives, he said.

In U.S., Few Alternatives To Testing On Animals

For FDA’s Andy, The Dog Days Of Summer

ferrets

USDA proposal, July 8 deadline for action! PLEASE ACT TODAY!

This is a message from the ferret health list yahoo groups, any ferret owner needs to act upon this, it is very important. This means Marshall farm ferrets would not be going to any pet store (Petsmart, Petco) selling ferrets that are too young to be taken from it's mother, and will be weaned.

A few years ago we worked hard to convince the USDA to create ferret-specific regulations governing their transport and care. The inside word we have gotten is that the ferret industry is too small to warrant the creation of such rules.

However, they have created a generic proposal that will set an 8-week and weaned requirement for the transport of any warm-blooded animal.

The deadline for comment is JULY 8, 2008! WE MUST ACT NOW!!

Below is a brief description of the proposal and how to submit your comments. A sample letter is also attached. Feel free to use it, modify it or write your own.

The main point is that we agree that an 8-week minimum age for transport is beneficial to ferrets, both domestic and black-footed.

Please feel free to cross-post.

Linda Iroff
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org

---
The American Council for Ferret Health, Welfare and Policy, Washington, DC

DEADLINE FOR RESPONSE: July 8, 2008

AGENCY: Federal – USDA – Animal & Plant Health Inspection Agency

REFERENCE: [Docket No. APHIS-2006-0024] RIN 0579-AC14
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 9 CFR Part 2 Proposed Rule
“Minimum Age Requirements for the Transport of Animals”

NOTICE: USDA has posted a Period for Public Comment on these regulations.

IMPACT: Regulations for FERRETS would match those currently in place for DOGS and CATS, FERRETS would be required to be weaned and at least 8 weeks of age prior to removal from their mothers and transport to a Retail facility, exhibit, etc. For young animals used in research, the research must be reviewed and approved by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) along with provisions specified as to care of animals during transport, if the animals do not meet the minimum age requirements of 8 weeks.

WHY YOU SHOULD RESPOND: New regulations, while not specific to FERRETS, would impose new requirements where no prior requirements have existed for FERRETS.

SUMMARY: US Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes to amend the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) regulations by adding minimum age requirements of 8 weeks for the transport in commerce of animals. Current regulations require dogs and cats to be weaned and a minimum of 8 weeks of age before they can be transported from the breeder location to a retail store or other venue. No regulations currently exist for FERRETS or other warm-blooded species. The Proposed Regulations would allow, provided certain conditions are met, for animals to be transported without their mothers for medical treatment and for scientific research before reaching the minimum age and weaning requirement. Setting MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENTS of 8 weeks for the transport in commerce of animals and providing for the transport of animals that have not met the minimum age requirements are necessary to help ensure the humane treatment of these animals.

INSTRUCTIONS: Submit your comments online or by mail: [SEE SAMPLE FORM LETTER]

1) ONLINE: Federal “eRulemaking” Portal: Go to
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2\
006-0024
Click on "APHIS-2006-0024-0001" to view the proposal, and on the icon in that row in the Comments column to add your own comment.

You may also view the comments submitted by others there.

2) OR MAIL 2 COPIES SIGNED COPIES OF YOUR LETTER TO:

USDA – APHIS: Docket No. APHIS-2006-0024
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS
Station 3A-03.8
4700 River Road Unit 118
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Barbara Kohn, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1231; (301) 734-7833.

-------------
Sample letter:

[YOUR LETTERHEAD]
[name/address]
[July -- , 2008]
RE: 9 CFR Part 2 [Docket No. APHIS-2006-0024] RIN 0579-AC14
PR: “Minimum Age Requirements for the Transport of Animals”

United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Regulatory Analysis and Development
PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8
4700 River Road Unit 118
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238

To Whom It May Concern:
We are writing in support of the above referenced PROPOSED RULE (PR) to amend the Animal Welfare Act regulations by adding minimum age requirements for the transport in commerce of animals. We are aware that the current regulations address age limits for dogs and cats, but that no corresponding regulations exist for ferrets.

We agree and strongly support your proposal to amend the current regulations to restrict the transport of ferrets that are less than 8 weeks of age, unless certain conditions have been met, as outlined in the PR.

For both the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) and the wild black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), establishing federal minimum age requirements for the transport in commerce of ferrets, and providing for the transport of animals that have not met the minimum age of 8 weeks of age, are necessary to help ensure the humane treatment of these animals.

[ADDITIONAL: YOU MAY ADD EXAMPLES OF PROBLEMS THAT OCCURRED IN THE
PAST, OR YOUR REASONS FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROPOSED RULE]

Sincerely,
[SIGNED - YOUR NAME]






ferrets

Ferrets as Animal Models

I found this abstract while searching for ferret information, about using ferrets in experiments for diseases, because they are cheap, they have large litters and are easy to handle, just angers me to know how ferrets are being used this way. I've read a lot about animal experimentation, and how supposedly they can use other alternatives with computers, cells, etc., but one thing it comes down to is : money - there's a lot of people that make money from this business - one that comes to mind especially is Marshall farms. I've read that Marshall's original intent was selling ferrets from animal experimentation before they started selling ferrets for pets. And since this is government papers as I understand should be public domain. Here's part of the abstract

Abstract:
The six areas of biomedical research that most commonly use ferrets (cystic fibrosis, influenza and other respiratory diseases, lung cancer, reproductive and fetal biology, neuroscience, and specific forms of cancer) are collectively responsible for over 12 billion dollars of funding from the National Institutes of Health alone for 2006. This total represents about 44% of the NIH annual grant monies. Additionally, ferrets have the potential of becoming an important system for drug and vaccine development, including validation and toxicity studies. The lack of genomic sequence hampers the interpretation of the results from existing research programs as well as the development of novel programs that rely on this kind of information. Combined sequencing of ferret genomic DNA and ESTs will allow for the development of additional resources for genomic and proteomic research and provide the genetic information necessary to improve the interpretation of results and quality of reagents for future research efforts within this model. There is strong support from the research community for this proposal, as evidenced by the accompanying 53 letters of endorsement from leading investigators in both academic and industrial institutions. These emphasize that ongoing research with ferret biomedical models is significantly limited by the lack of sequence data and derived molecular tools. In particular, ferret sequence data is urgently needed for models of infectious respiratory diseases with
pandemic potential, e.g. avian influenza and SARS corona virus. National interest in these models is evidenced by recent Congressional funding for pandemic flu preparedness (June 2006) and the Biodefense Advanced Research and Development Authority (Dec. 2006). ).


I. Introduction

Ferrets have a long history as animal model subjects. In 1933, influenza-induced rhinitis was
first observed in ferrets. Because this model mimics the shedding of viruses from respiratory tissue in a fashion similar to humans, their importance as an animal model was immediately apparent. Ferrets belong to the Order Carnivora, which includes dogs, wolves, cats, bears, weasels and otters. At the family node, ferrets diverge from the Canidae to form the Family Mustelidae. Most closely related to the European polecat, the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) deviated from the polecat at least 2,500 years ago. Sharing the Genus Mustela with ferrets are the ermine (Mustela erminea), mink (Mustela vison) and several weasel species. Of the two ferret species, the sequencing project would exclusively encompass the domestic ferret; the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripei) is endangered.

In addition, the ferret model has the potential for generating inbred lines and knockout models.
Compared to the macaque species, the ferret has a much higher rate of fecundity. Macaques give birth to one infant generally once a year under proper conditions and have a gestation period averaging 165 days. The ferret can reproduce up to three times annually with an average of 15 kits produced per year. This lends itself to creating different lines of ferrets that may have defined phenotypic characteristics or the development of knock-out animals. In fact, several laboratories are in the process of developing ferret colonies for their research, and knockouts have already been generated in this model (unpublished data). Obviously, these resources can not be developed at the same rate in ferrets as in the rodent animal models, but resources could be developed substantially faster than in macaques. Additionally, macaques are also almost exclusively out-bred, but the reproductive system of the ferret can also be used to generate in-bred lines of animals. Ferrets are also used effectively in embryo transfer and cloning procedures, allowing further possibility in the production of manipulated animals as a model.

All these diseases, cancers, etc is a result of our government. Health care is a joke, the big Pharma's (Rockefeller's) fund the Medical Universities to push chemicals on people, the doctors are brainwashed to subscribe medication, instead of curing the problem. The answer is in nutritional care, but they can't patent vitamins and herbs, there is so much junk in our food and so much of it is Genetically Modified. The FDA does a very poor job of protecting the consumer, too many people in legislation also have interest in the pharmaceutical companies. Our country is way down the line in Health care. Medical care for cancer is multi-billion dollar industry, of course they are not going to find cures, why should they, a lot of rich people would go broke.

Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR)

Preparing Ferrets as Research Subjects in the Laboratory

Marshall Farm Groups

Marshall BioResouces



How about Ferrets Smoking?


Xiang-Dong Wang, M.D., Ph.D., is putting his faith in the ferret. He and colleagues at the Human Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston are using this domesticated version of the European polecat to try to understand why human intervention studies have shown -carotene supplements enhance lung carcinogenesis in smokers. Unlike most laboratory animals, ferrets absorb and metabolize -carotene like humans. They can also inhale levels of tobacco smoke to produce precancerous lesions in the lungs, just like human smokers. His study of high doses of -carotene, published 2 years ago in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, revealed a possible mechanism for the harmful effect seen in the human trials. A second study, published in Carcinogenesis in December, tested low doses, like those obtained from five to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables. It showed a minor protective effect, Wang said. "Based on our animal study with the ferret, we ferreted out that 6 mg per day of -carotene is safe, and 30 mg per day is harmful," Wang deadpanned. Wang said he could have used a different animal for his study. Monkeys absorb -carotene like humans, but they cost $1000 per animal. The calf was a possibility, but too large to study in his lab. The Mongolian gerbil was an option, but it could not be used for the smoking part of the study. So he’s happy to use ferrets, which cost $75 each. "Ferrets are fearless subjects and gentle. They like to engage in social interactions while we play with them."

Black Footed Ferrets

I love Black-footed ferrets, I think they are so cute.