The picture of a perfect pet varies from person to person. Many think the ideal animal companion is a cute puppy or a fluffy kitty. Others, however, are more attracted to snakes, lizards, rats and even ferrets. Finding the perfect pet is extremely personal and based on each person’s unique interests and personality.
To answer the question posed above, bites by a ferret can be dangerous. However, all animal bites can be, even ones from a friendly little dog. The trick is to know when a situation is hazardous and to have a medical professional examine any animal bite wounds.
Looking at ferrets specifically, below are a few important points that all Pennsylvania residents should know.
- Ferrets may carry germs that could make you sick such as parasites, viruses and bacteria
- Ferrets can carry rabies, which they can transmit to humans through animal bites
- Although ferrets are not rodents, they can still transmit rat bite fever to humans through a bite or a scratch
- Transmitted through ferret bites or scratches, pasteurellosis is a bacterial disease that could result in painful wound infections and may even affect the victim’s nervous system
Pets can make people very happy, but owners should never forget their responsibility to keep humans free of animal bites and other dangers a pet may pose.
It is the animal owner’s responsibility to keep you safe from any harm posed by a ferret or other pet. When an owner fails in this responsibility and someone suffers harm, the victim has the right to seek legal action against the owner of the ferret. An injury attorney can provide a wealth of guidance and advocacy.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Ferrets,” accessed May 15, 2018
