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Dear Senate Representative ____:

House Representative ____:

Congressional District Representative ____:

This letter contains information concerning the NC Rabies Law regarding ferret bites. I want the law changed to a mandatory quarantine for ferrets, just like it is for dogs and cats. I want to get ferrets classified as domestic animals. I want the Imrab-3 vaccine to be recognized effective in ferrets. It has been used in dogs and cats for years.

First off, let me say that ferrets are domestic (not wild) in the truest sense of the word. They are domestic house pets, not exotic novelty animals. There are estimated to be over six million pet ferrets in the U.S. today. Since 1958, we have had only twenty-one laboratory reports of a ferret having rabies, although there are no reports of a human getting rabies from a ferret. In February 1990, a rabies vaccine was licensed by the U.S.D.A., but we are still not guaranteed in North Carolina, that if a ferret bites someone that the ferret will not automatically be euthanized and tested for rabies. Ferrets go through a series of vaccines for prevention just like cats and dogs, not only for rabies, but for distemper as well.

Again, I want to see the NC Rabies Law changed to a mandatory quarantine for ferrets. I feel that ferrets are domestic animals and need to be classified that way and also I want the Imrab-3 vaccine recognized effective in preventing rabies in ferrets.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you for your time and consideration concerning this matter and hope we can make a difference and stop the unnecessary killing of these innocent animals.

Sincerely,

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