Zoo meerkats test negative for rabies

Saint Paul Pioneer Press ^ | 8/5/06 | "Meggan Lindsey"

[Salgak]

Where were the parents, and why aren't they being billed for the cost of testing the meerkats AND their replacement costs.

And PAIN ?? Maybe in the old days. . . Now, treatment for possible rabies exposure is:

Rabies immunoglobulin and the first dose of rabies vaccine should be given as soon as possible after exposure, with additional doses on days 3, 7, 14, and 28 after the first. The vaccinations are relatively painless and are given in one's arm, in contrast to previous treatments which were given through a large needle inserted into the abdomen.

Gee, 6 whole shots in the arm over a month. . .

[L98Fiero]

Wouldn't having to take the shots be a better lesson for the kid?

[2banana]

The girl had to work to get her hand inside the enclosure. Zoo officials said she must have crawled over a driftwood barrier, climbed up more than 3 feet of artificial rock and reached over 4 feet of Plexiglas to get her arm into the exhibit.

Moronic parents...

[Jeff Chandler]

The dose is huge and is more properly administered in the upper leg.

[JeeperFreeper]

You're right. I'd have blistered the kid's behind, got the shots and been embarrassed as an parent. I've also had the rabies shot from a bite from a feral catr. It's eay nowadays. A tetanus shot, some other shots in the arm. No problems.

[Mercat]

nooooooooooooooo, not meerkats!!!!!! meerkats are my special animal!

[camle]

they ought to send the parents the bill - unsupervised child and all, perhaps get DCS involved - neglect?

[holymoly]

"Parents need to watch their kids better,"

In this case, the parents should be given rabies shots, to drive the point home.

[Skooz]

Idiots.

[PsyOp]

How about a big sign on the empty cage saying the animals were destroyed because idiots couldn't keep their kids under control and then naming the offenders. A little public shame goes a long way.

[gondramB]

These are the vicious animals in question - I can see why a child would want to pet them

[ConservaTexan]

Zoo officials said she must have crawled over a driftwood barrier, climbed up more than 3 feet of artificial rock and reached over 4 feet of Plexiglas to get her arm into the exhibit.

While mom gabbed on the cell phone and ate her extra large serving of Dippin' Dots!

[RubyCosmos]

Anyone wonder what happens when something happens in school that she doesn't like?

'Daddy, daddy, my math teacher gave me detention and extra homework!'

'It's okay, darling, she'll be dead by morning.'

[weegee]

Would they have been so quick to slaughter the animals if a panda had bitten the girl?

[Always Right]

Where were the parents, and why aren't they being billed for the cost of testing the meerkats AND their replacement costs.

The odds are the zoo would get sued instead for millions for not doing an adequate job of keeping kids out and for not having enough signs up warning kids not to climb fenses and put hands where wild animals can bite them.

[HaveHadEnough]

I hate to say this, but I hope the tests on the meerkats were false negatives.

No matter what the tests said, I would have my kid get the shots.

[Cecily]

I wouldn't want my child to have any unnecessary vaccinations. On the other hand, I believe the parents should be made to reimburse the zoo in some way for the euthanized animals, and the girl should be punished for her behavior. She was old enough to know better.

[fishergirl]

Aw!! I love the meekats, too! Sounds like that stupid kid should be put on display in a cage with a sign regarding what NOT TO DO WHEN VISITING THE ZOO!

[mak5]

Now that I'll agree with. The parents should pay the cost of replacing the animals since they were destroyed as a result of their child's trespassing.

[Retired Chemist]

I go into department stores and see kids climbing up the wrong way on escalators. My first question is where are the parents.