Hello everyone,
 
We have a number for our new ferret legalization bill, AB 647.  It is a
much more straight forward bill than last year's bill.  AB 647 legalizes
ferrets in California as long as they are spayed/neutered by 6 months of
age (unless the owner holds a valid breeder's license from the USDA).
The ferret must also be vaccinated against rabies in accordance with the
manufacturer's recommendations.  Any ferret offered for sale in a retail
store must be spayed/neutered prior to sale.
 
We believe that this is a bill that the Governor can sign.  It has none
of the bureaucracy of the previous bill and none of the bureaucracy of
today's ban.  It gives the ferret the same legal status as cats and dogs.
 
However, we need your help to be able to present the facts about ferrets
and our bill to the Governor and to the Legislature this session.  Though
we were able to get our bill for the first time ever to the Governor's
desk last session, I wonder what might have happened if we'd had the
finances to approach his o ffice earlier in the year and perhaps amend
our bill to allay his concerns?  We need to do this right from the
outset, and to do that we need your help now!
 
If you head a ferret club, especially in California, please make copies
of this and give it to your members.  If you live outside California and
want to help, know that we appreciate any size contribution and many
nonresidents are faced with a move and a dilemma.  We must spread the
word on AB 647 and let ferret lovers know how they can help.  There may
not be another bill for some time if this one fails to pass.
 
Please ensure that Californians for Ferret Legalization can represent
the ferret legalization issue, the issue you care so deeply about, with a
voice in the State Capitol.  This new ferret bill, if passed and signed
by the Governor, will finally legalize your precious pets.  Please send
a donation to our terrific lobbyist so we can continue to meet with the
Governor, Legislators and others in government to get a ferret
legalization bill passed in California this year.  Please don't sit back
and think it will happen without your help.  We've had over 10 years to
see that is not the case.  Send a check today.
 
Please make your checks payable to:
 
Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor LLP
 
IMPORTANT Note on check "Californians for Ferret Legalization"
 
Mail to:
 
Robert Naylor, Esquire
Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor LLP
1414 L street, Suite 1200
Sacramento, CA 95814
 
Or, if you wish, you can mail the checks to me and I will forward them:
 
Californians for Ferret Legalization
410 Mountain Home Road
Woodside, CA 94062
 
But be sure to make them out to Nielsen Merksamer.  If you do send a
check directly to Nielsen, please let me know so I can keep track of
what the ferret community donates.
 
To read more about the bill, go to:
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm
 
Type in bill number 647. You can then download the PDF
 
Introduced by Assemblymember Paul Koretz AB 647 has several coauthors.
They are Assemblymembers Mountjoy, Haynes, Karnette, Battin, Margett,
and Ducheny.
 
If you haven't written a note of thanks to Assemblymember Koretz, please
take a moment to do so now.  The time required to author a bill is
considerable.  Please thank Assemblymember Koretz for introducing AB 647
and let him know how much it means to you to see the law changed in
California!
 
Assemblymember Paul Koretz
9200 Sunset Blvd., PH-15
West Hollywood , CA 90069
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
 
Thanks for your support,
Jeanne Carley
[Posted in FML issue 4802]