[vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”What’s the Latest Update on Ferret Legalization for California?” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]The whole thing is ridiculous. Ferrets are legal in 48 states, only California and Hawaii have issues with them.
Ferrets Anonymous was formed in 1993 and in 1994 had a bill in the legislature. That bill did not make it but in 2004 we did finally get a bill passed, only to be vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.
“I love ferrets. I co-starred with a ferret in ‘Kindergarten Cop,'” Schwarzenegger insisted in his veto message. “However, this bill is too bureaucratic and it legalizes ferrets prior to conducting an environmental impact report.”
In 2010 we decided to actually conclude an EIR. We hired Geo Graening at Sacramento State University and a year later the report was done.
We actually did follow all the guidelines, asked the California Fish and Game Commission to be the lead authority. While they did have a role to play in the EIR they never recognized or accepted it.
In August 2015 we were set to collect signatures on a ballot initiative which would have legalized ferrets. We knew collecting the full amount of signatures was out of our league, we had some hope we could collect one quarter needed; 91,470 which would have triggered a legislative hearing. By February 9th though, the deadline we were just under 10,000 signatures.
We asked Assemblyman Marc Levine to conduct the hearings for us anyway. We were simply told “no.”
We then asked to meet with him and the request was never directly answered. “We’ll get back to you” is kind of where they ended it.
On February 19th about 20 ferret legalization supporters showed up for a rally outside Assemblyman Marc Levine’s office in San Rafael. After the rally we were invited inside and it appeared our concerns were taken seriously by his chief of staff.
Since then three phone calls to Michael Miiller, his chief of staff have gone unreturned. It now appears that Assemblyman Levine isn’t interested in helping us but put on a show while media was in attendance.
Our next step is to create a Political Action Committee to reach out to legislative candidates for the 2016 general election. The goal is to crowdfund $2,500 – a very modest sum for the job at hand, and donate to 10 candidates who will support the rights of ferret owners in California.
And then – next year with better timing and piggy backing on paid initiatives to try the ballot initiative idea again.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”13026″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.legalizeferrets.org/3000-club-members/”][vc_column_text]
Show Your Support
Join the 3000 Club and become a real member trying to legalize ferrets in California![/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_single_image image=”115″ style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_column_text]Despite starring in Kindergarten Cop with a ferret, and telling ferret supporters in California while a candidate for Governor that he would sign a ferret legalization bill if it passed the legislature – Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed a ferret legalization bill on the last possible day, September 30th, 2004.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_single_image image=”12843″ img_size=”medium”][vc_column_text]In 2000 The California Fish and Game Commission called on ferret supporters to fund an Environmental Impact Report. We did it ten years later. Although we followed the procedures the Fish and Game Commission has never acknowledged this report. You can read it here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_single_image image=”13021″ img_size=”medium”][vc_column_text]Assemblyman Marc Levine’s chief of staff, Michael Miiller (far right) listens to a group of California ferret lovers on Feb 19th after a legalization rally outside the Assemblyman’s San Rafael office. Assemblyman Levine is chairman of the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. Although Mr Miiller seemed interested at what we were saying, he hasn’t returned any phone calls since that meeting,[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_facebook][/vc_column][/vc_row]