Dear Ferret Lovers,
 
As most of you know, I've been trying to change the unfair law in
California that bans a single domesticated pet, the ferret, by
misclassifying it as wild.  This effort began in the early 1990's
and has continued through 12 years of ferret bills.
 
The bill this year is an effort to craft legislation which Governor
Schwarzenegger can sign (his veto message of last year mentioned the need
for an environmental assessment).  Though Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed
the previous bill as too bureaucratic, he is the first CA Governor to
appear positive towards ferrets in general and we believe his office
would like to resolve this long-standing issue.  And we know that a fair
assessment of the ferret's impact on the environment will result in the
determination that there are no significant impacts from a change in the
law and that California will join the rest of the states on the continent
by legalizing ferrets next year.
 
But to do that, it is crucial that the truth of the matter be heard in
Sacram ento and specifically by the Governor's Office.  The only way to
make that happen is to be able to use our lobbyist Bob Naylor, one of
the partners of the top lobbying firm in Sacramento, Neilsen, Merksamer,
Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor.
 
Bob has given us his time at a discount over these last 12 years.  And
Bob is still giving this issue his most economical rate.  But we need his
time now more than ever.  We not only must get a bill to the Governor
crafted in a way that he will sign it, but we must also make sure than
the environmental assessment made by the state is fair and honest.  Any
honest assessment of this issue will result in the negative declaration
(the determination that legalization spayed/neutered ferrets will have no
significant impact on the environment) that we need for legalization.
 
All of my time on this issue, meetings, hearings, testimony in
Sacramento, literally thousands of hours by now, is volunteer.  And I am
committed to seeing this bill through, but I have come to the end of my
financial rope.  I will not be working on another ferret bill.  So, I
need your financial help, desperately, to be able to continue to get the
best representation for our issue in Sacramento.
 
I urge you to take a moment this 4th of July weekend to write a check
payable to (and mail to the address shown):
 
Neilsen, Merksamer & Naylor
1415 L St., Suite 1200
Sacramento, CA  95814
 
VERY IMPORTANT: Write FOR FERRET LEGALIZATION on your check.
 
Or, you can write the check payable to Neilsen, Merksamer & Naylor and
mail it to me and I will forward it on with a letter specifying the
Ferret Legalization Account.  Checks sent to me should be addressed to:
 
Jeanne Carley
410 Mountain Home Road
Woodside, CA 94062
[log in to unmask]
 
P.S. Feel free to post this message to ferret boards and web sites.
[Posted in FML issue 4927]