The following will be specially of interest to UK ferret breeders.

Following extracts from relevant legislation...

However these days in the UK polecats are protected under the Wildlife
and Countryside Act 1981. Certain methods of killing or taking Polecats
are prohibited under the act, and it is an offence to set a trap for a
polecat without obtaining a licence to do so.

In addition to its protection under the Wildlife and Countryside
Act 1981, the polecat has recently (2007) been added to the list of
UK BAP mammals, protected as species of principal importance for the
conservation of biological diversity in England under Section 74 of
the Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act 2000.

The polecat is a species "of some conservation significance" (Birks
1997). Historically, it has experienced conflict with poultry and game
keeping bodies since the Middle Ages, but now enjoys legal protection
from killing and trapping under Schedule 6 of The Wildlife and
Countryside Act (1981).

These Acts prohibit the deliberate or intentional setting of traps,
snares and so on for polecats without a licence. Where traps are set
for other (pest) species, the 1981 Wildlife & Countryside Act requires
that reasonable precautions to prevent injury thereby to any wild
animals included in Schedule 6. Regulation 41 of the 1994 Conservation
Regulations prohibits the use of traps that are non-selective according
to their principle or conditions of use for taking or killing of
protected animals, including the polecat.

In addition, the 1995 Spring Traps Approval Order specifically excludes
the use of spring traps for the capture of any species listed in
Schedules 5 and 6 of the 1994 Wildlife & Countryside Act.

It is legal to shoot polecats with appropriate firearms, and there
appears to be no lawful reason why polecats (harmed or otherwise)
caught in traps cannot be shot or kept in captivity. All in all, a
confusing state of affairs.

So It would seem to be OK if the original polecat was supplied by a
licence holder or caught accidently.

There is no mention of breeding of animals so caught or sale of kits
as a result of such breeding.

Tony, Suki and ????? just born in Derby.
In memory of Sally, Sue and Sugar.

[Posted in FML 7487]