Seems to me that the legalization efforts are attacking this from the wrong
end.  The real target should be that darn State Law, backed by the Health
Dept that prohibits private citizens from possessing, transporting, buying,
selling, breeding, etc.  ANY wild animals, which the CA F&G uses as a weapon
against exotic pet owners, since the Health Dept gives the F&G the job of
determining what animals are wild.  This should have been the job of the
Agriculture Dept, NOT the state gov organization that sells hunting permits
and is more concerned with killing animals, then their welfare.
 
Note that chinchillas were legalized because they were controled by the
Agriculture Dept since they veiw fur farm animals as domestic animals,
reguardless of species.  When the fur trade begain to die out, the
chinchilla found its way to the pet market, supported by the farm bureau.
Ferret fanciers in CA should make an attempt to join their local branch of
the farm bureau and lobby from within, like the chinchilla, ostrich, etc
breeders have been doing.
 
Remember, it isn't just ferrets that are effected.  CA prohibits gerbils,
sugar gliders, hedgehogs, exotic species of rats and mice, degus, flying
squirrels and MANY other commonly kept exotic pets.  The F&G has been making
more and more reptiles and fish species illegal, driving the herp industry
into the dirt and nearly putting aquarium stores out of business.  They
harrass the bird breeders as well.
 
The fight should be for fair regulations and legislation for ALL pet owners,
reguardless of what pet they have, domestic or exotic.  MOST exotics are the
product of many generations of captive bred animals and pose no danger to
wild populations, thus can be said to be domesticated or nearly
domesticated.  The majority of other states allow the ownership of any pet,
some only requiring a UDSA permit for breeding them.  Many don't even need a
USDA permit to just keep a pet or breed less then $500 worth a year.  Its CA
who need to catch up to the OTHER states and 'get with the program'.  The
exotic pet industry generates a lot of tax dollars.
 
Check out this web site for more about the fight for the rights of pet
owners.  http://www.confurence.com/~nala/nala.html
[Posted in FML issue 1838]