🐾 Ferret Legalization Petition Moves Forward: What Comes Next? 🐾
📢 Big news for ferret supporters! The California Fish and Game Commission (FGC) has officially accepted our petition for regulation change (Tracking Number 2025-03). This means that the Commission will review the petition at its April 16-17, 2025 meeting and decide at the June 11-12, 2025 meeting whether to deny it or grant it for further consideration.
This is a significant step forward in our fight to legalize domestic ferrets in California! But what does this mean for us, and what should we do next? Let’s break it down.
🔍 What Does This Mean for Ferret Legalization?
The fact that the petition was accepted as complete is an important procedural win. This means the Fish and Game Commission cannot ignore it—they must acknowledge it, discuss it, and make a formal decision.
However, this does not mean that they will automatically approve ferret legalization. Instead, we are entering a crucial phase where we must apply pressure, provide factual arguments, and rally public support to ensure the Commission does not dismiss the petition outright in June.
📜 The Administrative Procedures Act: A Key Factor
Under California’s Administrative Procedures Act (APA), state agencies like the Fish and Game Commission must follow a fair and transparent process when making regulatory decisions. This means:
✅ The Commission must review the petition seriously and cannot arbitrarily deny it.
✅ If they choose to deny it, they must provide a valid reason backed by evidence.
✅ If they grant it for further consideration, we move into a rulemaking process, where we will have more opportunities to provide evidence, expert testimony, and public support.
🔹 The Bottom Line: The APA gives us legal standing to demand a fact-based review. We will use this to our advantage if the Commission attempts to dismiss the petition without justification.
🤔 Should Ferret Supporters Be Worried or Hopeful?
It’s natural to feel a mix of hope and concern at this stage. Here’s the reality:
Reasons to Be Hopeful:
✅ They can’t ignore us! The petition is officially in the system, and they must address it.
✅ Strong legal and scientific backing: We have evidence that ferrets are domestic, cause no environmental harm, and are safely legal in 48 other states.
✅ Growing public support: Thousands of Californians want this change, and our numbers are only increasing.
Reasons to Stay Vigilant:
⚠️ The Commission has dismissed past petitions. We must ensure they follow the law and don’t brush this aside as they have before.
⚠️ Opponents may spread misinformation. We need to counter myths about ferret ownership with facts.
⚠️ This is just the first step. Even if they grant it further consideration in June, we still have work ahead to make ferret legalization a reality.
🔹 The Bottom Line: We are in a strong position, but we must stay active, vocal, and persistent in the coming months.
📅 What’s Next? Mark Your Calendars!
📌 April 16-17, 2025 – Fish and Game Commission Meeting
- The petition will be officially received.
- We encourage ferret supporters to attend, watch, and submit public comments.
- Our goal: Ensure they do not dismiss it immediately.
📌 June 11-12, 2025 – Decision Meeting
- The Commission will decide whether to deny the petition or grant it for further review.
- This is a crucial moment—we need to show up in force!
👉 Stay tuned for more details on how you can submit comments and participate!
🐾 How You Can Take Action Now
💬 Leave a Public Comment: The Commission allows public input. We will share exact instructions soon—be ready to tell them why legalizing ferrets is the right thing to do!
📣 Spread the Word: Share this post and encourage others to get involved. The more voices we have, the stronger our case.
✉️ Stay Updated: Sign up for our email list so you don’t miss important updates and action items.
📢 Attend the Meetings: Whether in person or virtually, your presence matters. Showing strong public interest can influence the Commission’s decision.
🔥 The Fight Continues—Let’s Make History!
This is our moment to push for change. We are closer than ever to ending California’s outdated ferret ban, but we need everyone’s help to see this through.
🐾 Let’s keep fighting for the freedom to own ferrets in California! 🐾
#LegalizeFerrets #FerretFreedom #FerretPetition #CAFishAndGame #FerretRights