After all, they’re called Domestic Ferrets!
A California ferret petition has raised a much bigger question: if citizens have a constitutional right to petition their government, does the government eventually have to give them an answer? Our writ of mandate asks the Sacramento Superior Court to address what happens when a regulatory petition is accepted for further consideration but remains unresolved.
Why is a 1,200-pound water buffalo legal in California, but a two-pound pet ferret can land you in jail? Exposing the shocking bureaucratic hypocrisy, selective law enforcement, and real-time public records stalls inside the California Fish and Game Commission (ferret lawsuit, 1994 Bill (SB 2026), 97 / 98 – 2, we filed a pra for any other petitions).
Public records requests have exposed a stunning contradiction behind the scenes of California’s ferret ban. While the state claims it is actively evaluating Petition 2025-003, their internal file is completely empty. Here is an inside look at the hidden paper trail and the high-stakes legal battle heading to court on October 2nd.
California accepted Petition 2025-003 for further consideration, yet more than a year later it remains unresolved. In its demurrer, the State advances several legal arguments that appear difficult to reconcile. This article examines those arguments and asks a much larger question: Can a California agency accept a citizen petition, refer it internally, and never issue a final decision?