Hello everyone,
 
Though it's still very early in the legislative year, it's important to go
ahead and write to both of your State Representatives now.  Why?  In light
of the power crisis (no pun intended), I'm afraid that we must start
early in our letter writing campaign in order to get the attention of our
representatives.  However, unlike the power crisis, the ferret problem is
an easy problem to fix.
 
We must remind our legislators that the ferret issue is an issue that
deserves their attention.  Remind them that ferrets are legal in every
other state on the continent.  Remind them that as a domesticated pet,
it should be in the hands of a wildlife agency.  Remind them that the
Department of Fish and Game's own study revealed that, unlike the dog,
cat, horse, goat, pig, sheep or burro, no documented feral populations
of ferrets have occurred anywhere in the United States.  Clearly the
ferret is a terrific pet for the environment.
 
Let your representatives know that this is an issue that has not been
dealt with fairly.  Two ferret legalization/amnesty bills have passed all
Assembly and Senate committees by huge margins.  They passed both Assembly
floor votes by virtual landslides.  The ferret bill was killed in the last
two legislative sessions by a single State Senator who did not allow it a
hearing in his committee.  That's simply not right.  It's not democratic,
it's autocratic.
 
This issue deserves to be heard but whether your representatives pay
attention to it or not depends entirely upon you!  I'm asking each of you
to write a short, one page letter to both of your State Representatives,
your State Assemblyman and State Senator, asking him or her to help ensure
that ferret-owning Californians are decriminalized for doing something
citizens in 48 other states can do with impunity.  You must include your
name and address on your letter or e-mail for it to have any value at all.
I can assure you that nothing bad will happen to you if you write and
include your address.  No one will come to your home.  A search warrant is
essential for that to happen and no judge would issue a search warrant for
someone who has written in about a bad law (you don't own any ferrets and
would never put that in a letter).  I can also assure you that absolutely
nothing good will happen if you don't write!
 
If you don't know your two State representatives (you have one State
Senator and one State Assemblymember that represent you in Sacramento on
state issues) please go to our website, http://www.ferretnews.org
and click on Know Your Local Representative.  From there, it's easy.
All you have to do is to enter your zip code.  You can also call us at
(650) 851-3750, or e-mail us your address so a ferret legalization packet
to be sent to you in the mail.
 
You should also visit http://ferrets.go.cc/
and download the ferret legalization poster.  Simply fill in the bottom
portion of the poster with the information you've been given about the
names and addresses of your representatives.  You can then distribute the
poster to neighborhood pet stores and veterinarians so that others can
write in as well.  Ask friends and family members to support you by writing
to their California representatives.  I know if we all work together on
this issue we can win but it's up to you this year.
 
Jeanne Carley
Californians for Ferret Legalization
410 Mountain Home Road
Woodside, CA 94062
(650) 851-3750
www.ferretnews.org
e-mail [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 3305]