So..... I was hanging out with my mom in Fort Myers this weekend and we took all the kids to Petland, as we always do! They love to see all the exotic animals ! In we walk and the kids head right for the pens that have bunnies, guinnea pigs and ferrets. I placed my hand on the ferret pen and one leapt up and bit me. He actually bit my middle and fore fingers and latched on and wouldn't let go.

I panicked and yelled for help while my son tried to knock it off of me. Very painful. That thing held on tight and wouldn't let go until someone grabbed it by the neck and pinched it and it released me.

So, this was at 11:15ish yesterday, by last night my middle finger looked like my thumb and was killing me. Thankfully, mom had some amoxicillin and I took them, but after a long night, I went to the doctor this morning and he put me on augmentin. My finger tip is pretty numb and I have a bite on my fore finger and a nice punture on my middle finger, both on top, where the side of the nail meets the finger (the hangnail area) and one on the middle of the pad of my finger.

How worried should I be about rabies? The folks at the store were pretty flippant about it. The offered me a band aid....It was bloody! I said "bandaid??" "How about some peroxied and soap and water??" Anyway, they gave me peroxide and I washed it immediately and poured on the peroxide. I soaked it in alchohol last night and used neosporin. I also called animal control and they were pretty upset that the pet store people didn't take the animal and confine it immediately. Now they don't know which one it was.

I am so upset, angry but more concerned with communicable diseases! The store manager actually laughed and said that ferrets bite and I shouldn't have put my hand in the pen. To which I asked why are they in an open pen then?

I really am worried. Animal control is going to quarrantine all of their ferrets, but hopefully they haven't sold the one who bit me. I called the corporate office of Petland, but apparently it is a franchise and I have to speak to the owner. I can't get the owner's phone number.

I am also concerned that if a child were to put their head up there to look into the pen, they could take a nice bite to the face!!

Man, I am so mad!

Ooooh! You are good!! You should be a private I !! Thanks a bunch! I did try to contact John and Aggie and they have not returned my call. I am so disappointed in people! Not one person has asked me if I am ok, not even to call me back and say sorry this happened! Oh well, I guess you live and learn.

Animal control did go and quarrantine all of their ferrets though! I am going to get a copy of that report!

If the store is incorporated the corporate owner information would be on file with the Florida Secretary of State. The list of corporations is available on line.

Just for fun I googled for Petland Ft Myers FL. The second entry is from Petland News and names the franchisee owners. There is a picture too.

"Franchisees John and Aggie Rhoades of Petland Ft. Myers, Florida, had their first experience with the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America in the fall."

I also googled for his name + Ft Myers FL and got his address and phone number. I was going to paste it here but decided that wasn't a good idea. I looked down a few entries and found this: John Rhoades, Jomar Pets Inc., President. It was shown in a campaign contribution list.

Google for 'Florida Secretary of State'. When the Google list comes up, click on 'corporations'. In the new window look on the left and click on 'Corporation Information & On-Line Filing'. In the next new window, click on 'Document Searches'. Choose from the list 'Inquire by Name'. In the box type in 'Jomar Pets, Inc.' and click Search Now. The company is the first one listed. Click on that and you can get their names and addresses and read their corporate reports. If you click on 'Domestic Profit' at the bottom of the page you can read a letter from his attorney re filing articles of incorporation.

I just love a good mystery! Good luck.

D, you are a wealth of information! Thanks everyone!!

I already have gone to the doctor this morning and paid my copay. The ferrets were actually in a big pen with no top. They have a pen of bunnies, then one of ferrets, one of guinnea pigs and gerbils and one with big parrots!

I called corporate and they said that they can not give me the owner's number and that they would contact them, maybe tomorrow. I called the store and explained to the girls that I spoke with that it is in the best interest of the owners if they contact them and let them know that I have called. My girlfriend told me to take a picture of my finger, which I did, just now, but it is around 30 hours later and a couple of doses of antibiotics, so the swelling is not quite as bad.

Animal control went and had them quarrantine all of the ferrets, so they will be tied up for ten days. I was mostly worried about rabies, because I had heard that they dont get vaccinated until about 4 months.

Oy!! My finger hurts and I am so annoyed!!
I did also hear that they carry tetnus, and I am pretty sure I got that shot around three years ago, so I think I am ok.

Grrrrrr!

Thanks for listening to me complain!!

Florida state law doesn't require a ferret be vaccinated until it's 4 months old, and if it's still in a store, it probably isn't.

Some other things I found....

If you aren't up to date on your tetanus shot, you may want to ask your doctor about getting a booster.

Several sites, even those without many good things to say about pets, say there's never been an incident of rabies passing from a ferret to a human in the U.S. (it's from 2001, but here's the CDC info about rabies in Florida, so while you're upset (and should be!), it sounds like you're okay on that front.

You notified your doctor, and animal control, which is good. Speaking only for myself, I'd ask the doctor for the bill, and send it, via certified mail, to the store. If you have an attorney that you know, who handles other routine things, send one to him/her as well.

I would also (or have someone else) call the corporate offices again, and explain that the store is being unhelpful. Mention "legal issue" and "potential for medical bills and bad publicity" and they might help you out a little more.

Also...was there a sign that said, "Ferrets bite! Do not put fingers in cage!" I'm thinking of the PetsMart near us, and they have HUGE signs that say not to tap on the glass for the adoptive kitties, as well as the birds and fish. When we were looking for a dog, the animal shelter had lines painted on the floor to keep potential owners from getting too close to the dogs. Were there any indications that the ferrets would bite?

If there were, it was negligent to keep them where they could bite people; if there weren't signs up, but the staff knows "ferrets bite," they were negligent to not give warnings AND to have them where they could bite people.

In Florida, property liability at the store should cover up to $5,000 worth of medical care--that's written in to nearly every commercial policy. It's for slip & falls, products tumbling, and I'd guess for a pet store, biting or scratching.

So...you can ask the owner about the STORE's liability insurance taking care of your medical bills. That tends to be enough smart talking to get owners to back down. ANYTHING to not file an insurance claim!

You can also simply ask for their insurance company and say you'd like to file a claim. Try also the Better Business Bureau in Ft Myers.

(Man, I HATE Petland, and I wouldn't wish your ferret bite on anyone!)

I would wonder why the corporate headquarters does not have the franchise owners phone number. The franchise owner had to at some point have provided them with his/her info. I would call them back and demand the information. It is unbelievable how companies just blow things off like this. You could create and incredibly bad amount of press and possible a lawsuit and they could care less. I agree with Judy-if they don't do something head to your local newspaper or tv station.

Jill

Teh animal can be tested for Rabies- the whole cage of them can be tested.

My daughter's friend went through the rabies shots this summer after a ferile cat bit her and could not be found.

The shots are no longer as bad as they were a decade ago, but they are still painful.

I say talk to your doc ASAP just to be sure you are well covered and cared for.

As an aside, my gues is that the animal that bit you was not rabid, but who wants to guess?

Yikes!!

It sounds like you did the right thing by calling animal control.

You may also want to consider calling your doctor's office and asking them the rabies question.

I would think that if these ferrets were bred in captivity that you'd be safe.

It sounds like the store handled things VERY poorly.

Sorry that you are having to go through all of this : (

I bet if the media got a hold of the story you would hear from the owner pronto.

I would be angry at the way they handled it also.

I think I would also report it to the health department as well as animal control.