The recommendation of registering ferrets and other species from the Mustelinaie family, including stoats and weasels, was made first by the UK.
It’s now known that the corona virus can infect ferrets. Having a register allows easy communication between owners and States Veterinary Officers.
The initiative is similar to a poultry register launched at the beginning of the year, following concerns of avian flu outbreaks.
Microchipping also helps in telling the difference between stray and feral ferrets. Just this week, a ‘family’ of stray ferrets was spotted near Chouet, with a photo shared on the Guernsey Wildlife Group Facebook page.
You can register your animal by emailing svo@gov.gg or alternatively you can call 221161.
The information will be kept by the Farm Services team and SVO so owners can be updated on any future disease outbreak.
