Someone in issue 761 (3.17.94) anonymously asked about getting ferrets
across the California/Nevada or California/Oregon borders. I haven't
smuggled fuzzies across statelines, BUT I used to work for Calif
Dept of Food and Ag at one of the border quarantine stations. We
enforced the Fish & Game regs re fuzzies and other critters. I can tell
you how thorough we were in inspections, whether you use such anecdotal
information to violate Calif law is not my responsibility. For the legal
record, I do NOT advocate smuggling ferrets or any other animals into
the state of California. If you are caught, you can be cited and worse,
the ferret will be killed after confiscation. If for some reason I have
to transport anything quarantined from California and need to cross the
border, I reroute my trip.
Most of the inspectors are bored out of their minds: it's a dull, tedious
job. Most of the inspectors will ask where you're from: if you answer
honestly "Reno" or "Salem", they'll ask (sometimes) if you bought or
obtained any fruit, vegetables, plant material, etc. If they have no
reason to suspect you of lying, they'll wave you through. If however,
they think you're lying OR if they are bored but dedicated, they'll ask
you to open up trunks, boxes, etc. Once you've reached one of those
stations, they have the right to open anything and everything in your
vehicle. If they find a fuzzie, they will either confiscate it or give
you the option to return out of state. Depends largely on how much you
irritate them. If they confiscate, you theoretically have ten days to
reclaim said critter and leave state before they kill it ("destroy" is
the euphenism). However, critters usually won't survive ten days: they
escape and are killed, die from neglect, or are killed early. I know,
I saw it.
You can also receive a good sized fine for fibbing if you're caught. If
you try to sneak around the station and get caught, that's another ticket.
Enough said. Sorry for typoes and misspellings, this editor is a pain.
DOn't lose a fuzzy to quarantine! EPFlemyng partner to Lorina, person
to Tinker.
[Posted in FML issue 0762]
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