If we talking about animals, of course it's all about wild - about instinct. Owners of any kind of pets should know the risks before decide to take care animal as pet.
Still couldn't believe for what happened with the children whose got bitten by Ferret, as parents we supposed to be wise and never leave our kids alone with animals ever (even with fishes in the aquarium).
It is ALWAYS be our fault + our stupidity when it comes to animals because the animals are belong into the wilderness - not inside the house, that's the fact. -N.G-
First Posted: 06/16/11 02:53 PM ET Updated: 06/16/11 02:53 PM ET
The parents of a 4-month-old Missouri boy who lost seven fingers during a pet ferret attack have been charged with first-degree child endangerment for the January incident.
Ryan Waldo, 33, and his wife, Carrie Waldo, 25, told investigators in Grain Valley that they awoke hearing the screams of their child, who was left with just his thumbs and a pinky following the attack.
Ryan claimed he picked up the pet ferret -- which was a Christmas present to his older children -- and hurled it against the dishwasher, killing it. The couple also said the ferret had never bitten anyone before.
But prosecutors claim they have evidence that the ferret had already bitten the infant twice, CBS3 reports.
Before the incident, the couple's landlord had reportedly helped them get in touch with a ferret rescue group due to animal's tendency to bite.
However the family decided to keep the ferret in the home, according to a text message sent from the boy's mother to the ferret rescue group that was obtained by the station.
"Kids voting no right now but it probably won't be long before he nips baby again and they get over it," Carrie allegedly wrote. "Not sure if we wanna get rid of him yet. The kids r cryin bout it so we'll let u know."
Based on cellphone records, investigators believe the parents might have left the kids home alone while the attack occurred.
The couple surrendered on the felony charge on Wednesday, The Kansas City Star reports. They were released on bond, but ordered to stay away from their children, who are now in a grandparent's custody.
Source : weirdnews.aol.com
FACTS ABOUT FERRET (info taken from many sources)
Ferret's skull is long and flat for several reasons. First, it makes for a powerful biting force, proportionately one of the strongest in mammals, which is very useful in killing animals near your size having teeth that can bite through a pencil (hey, imagine a giant beaver snapping at your nose, with incisors as thick as your middle finger).
Arm bones: The ferret clavicle is a tiny little ossification in the muscle where the clavicle should be, and is not always found, but the scapula, humerus, radis, and ulna are about the same as ours. Their elbow has an extension on the end of it to make their arms very strong for digging. The wrist bones (carpals), the hand bones (metacarpals), and the finger bones (phalanges) are almost the same, except for the 3rd phalanx which has a claw-like process on the end to support the nail. As far as I know, all members of the mustelid family have all five digits front and back. Ferrets have more carpal-metacarpal sesamoids than we usually do, which are tiny bones within the tendons where they pass over joints. Most of us have 1 or 2 of them at our thumbs, but ferrets generally have 2 for every digit. Oh, the thumb has 2 phalanges and the fingers have 3 for both humans and ferrets. The thumb in the ferret is like a finger. Just imagine what a ferret could do with a human thumb.
From www.knowswhy.com : Why are ferrets illegal in California?
In 1933, importation and possession of domestic ferrets, as well as wild animals, was restricted in California. The California Department of Fish and Game, on March 25th 1994, expressed its views regarding the ferrets as:
1. Ferrets may bite or scratch children, as well as adults.
2. Ferrets also carry rabies, and there is no proper vaccine against the rabies which attacks it.
3. Ferrets can also threaten native wildlife.
Ferrets are considered to be illegal as they may breed in the wild, and pose a threat to agriculture and native species. Ferrets are also believed to be roaming and killing more chicken than that are necessary for its consumption. It is also believed that ferrets are a threat to birds, amphibians and reptiles. Wildlife that are considered to be at risk of extinction due to ferrets are burrowing owls, California ground squirrels and mountain beavers.Kenneth W. Umbach, Ph.D. for www.library.ca.gov May 30, 1997 : Ferrets are permitted as pets in all states of the continental U.S. except California, and some observers estimate that there are from 100,000 to 500,000 domestic ferrets kept as pets in California despite the prohibition. A Michigan official noted that Michigan went from zero ferrets (officially, as they were prohibited) to 200,000 overnight when they were legalized a few years ago, and “they did not all just come in over the state line that day.”
Rabies vaccination should be required for domestic ferrets, just as it is for domestic cats and dogs. Ferrets sold at or after 12 weeks of age should be vaccinated before sale. For those sold at the typical 6 to 7 weeks, it is vital that owners be advised of the requirement to have the animals vaccinated at 12 weeks.
CASES
1998 February 22 : Police say ferret bit baby at least 50 times; parents charged
By AP (Cleveland) via Globe News.
A 5-week-old girl was in stable condition after being bitten at least 50 times by a pet ferret, and police charged her parents with felony child endangering.
By AP (Cleveland) via Globe News.
A 5-week-old girl was in stable condition after being bitten at least 50 times by a pet ferret, and police charged her parents with felony child endangering.
Samantha M. Grabski was bitten on the face and chest while she lay between her parents, who had fallen asleep after drinking beer late Wednesday, police said. She required about 100 stitches and was in stable condition Sunday at MetroHealth Medical Center.Her mother, Olga Torres, told officers she did not know the baby had been attacked until she woke up Thursday morning.
Torres, 21, and John B. Grabski, 22, were in custody Sunday pending a bail hearing scheduled for Monday.
Police Sgt. Mark Hastings said prosecutors filed felony charges against Grabski and Torres because the injuries were related to their use of alcohol.
Four other children, all under age 7, were placed with relatives, Hastings said. The ferret was taken to the city kennel for rabies tests.© Copyright 1998 Globe Newspaper Company
2000 June 28 : Pet ferrets inflicted 10-day-old girl more than 100 scratches
By Meg Jones Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
By Meg Jones Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
A 10-day-old girl lying in her crib was attacked by two pet ferrets that may have been attracted by milk on the child's breath, Eau Claire police said Wednesday.
The ferrets inflicted more than 100 scratches, gashes and bite marks on the baby's face before the family dog jumped in to save the infant, who is expected to recover completely, police said. Please read for more in http://www.igorilla.com/gorilla/animal/2000/ferret_attacks_baby.html
Judy Vowell, shelter director for Ferret Fanciers of Greater Milwaukee said : "It's not an attack animal. It reacts out of instinct but not a destructive instinct," Vowell said. "It was probably after the milk and unknown scents. This was probably a new scent for the ferret, as well - a new baby in the house."
Just remind : No matter how cute and how hard you train your animal, they still and always stayed as animals ;-)
