If you are in California and your Ferret is Confiscated you have no Rights
It’s as if the cops confiscated your illegal drugs. You are powerless. But ferrets aren’t drugs. They’re family. We love them. They can’t be replaced. Depends on who’s on duty – but you may feel like a criminal. For ferrets.
Let me tell you from firsthand experience, having your ferret confiscated and being powerless is one of the worst feelings I’ve ever had.
And it’s so unfair! We’ve never had a hearing. Ferrets were lumped in as wild animals in 1933. The California Fish and Game Commission refuses to consider our request that they be correctly reclassified as domestic pets.
They made up the most bizarre and outlandish stories. Ferrets could become an invasive species, they could threaten agriculture and wildlife, and they are a public health menace.
When pointed out that ferrets are legal in 48 states and that many illegal ferrets are already here in California we get either “we don’t have time for this” or “we don’t need another pet in California.”
We have a chance to change that.
We are circulating petitions that would legalize ferrets. There is a lot more to it than that; let me explain.
A ballot initiative is a really hard thing to pull off. We know we don’t have the resources. But if we get only 25% of the way there in signatures, 91,470 is our total; it triggers a hearing in the legislature. In fact, two hearings. One in the Assembly and one in the State Senate.
If we do manage to get 91,470 signatures we have earned a right to be heard. Expect to be taken seriously. Why should ferrets be legal?
- They’re legal in 48 states – it isn’t even an issue – no brainer!
- No feral colonies anywhere! They can’t do it. We have the Environmental Report with the studies to document that
- It’s a Freedom Issue. Do we really want our government to arbitrarily ban something without a valid reason? Sets a bad precedence.
Our biggest obstacle is being taken seriously. “They’re only ferrets!” You’ve heard it before!
But to us, they’re little bundles of joy that come attached with big vet bills and poop in the corner. Ferrets aren’t for everyone but they’re special to some of us. Life without ferrets! Eeks, how boring!
So a window of opportunity is open.
If you live in California –
Sign the petition. Get your family, friends and co-workers to sign it.
You can make copies or call me and I’ll mail you more. Be sure to sign the bottom as circulator. Don’t reduce the size and everyone who signs on the same sheet must be in the same county.
We have a HUGE task ahead of us.
There are those who say “It can’t be done.”
I want you to think “How can it be done?”
I want you to think about taking your ferret outside. Of losing the fear… I still get a knot it my stomach when the animal control truck drives up my street.
I want you to think Pro-Freedom. How dare our state government treat my ferrets as prohibited wildlife!
The word for the day is ‘Empowerment.”
Even if we don’t make it, we’re growing. New people are getting involved because of the petition drive. We want to earn our spot to a hearing on ferret legalization. But there is nothing to prevent us from looking for a legislative sponsor again in 2016.
Every signature puts us closer.
Thank you for your support!