Greetings, all.  I just got around to taking a look at Monday's San Jose
Mercury News, in which there is an article titled "Ferret debate: Safe pet
or wild animal?" presenting the two sides of the CA ferret issue.
 
The author presented the facts that ferret-people are well aware of, (e.g.,
they don't survive in the wild, there are about .5million in the state, they
are domesticated pets).  The author spoke with Jeanne Carley (WAY TO GO
JEANNE!!!!! :-)  about the legalization and rescue efforts.  According to
the article, this is the closest CA has been to having ferrets legalized
since 1933.  The article mentions the Assembly vote last week, and quotes
Assemblyman Jan Goldsmith as saying "...this is costing taxpayers millions
of dollars, it's infringing on people's rights, and there's no reason for
it... The government should not be in the business of telling people they
can't own a pet if there is no good reason."
 
Of course, on the other side of the ferret issue... The author quotes some
statistics from Kevin Reilly (Dept. of Health Services public health
veterinarian) -- "more than 400 ferret attacks on humans...since 1978,
including 63 unprovoked attacks on infants and toddlers." Reilly goes on to
state, "Basically, they were trying to KILL and CONSUME these youngsters."
[emphasis mine.  this statement would be funny except for the fact that
people who help set public policy actually believe it.  scare me alive!!].
 
The article then presents DFG's fears that ferrets could go feral and attack
endangered species.  The author quotes Ron Jurek (DFG, endangered bird
biologist) as saying "We know they can exist in the wild.  We have examples
of that from all over the world." [oh yeah, prove it.]
 
My condolences to the Jacobs family for the ordeal the state of MI has put
them through.  In thinking about the Kodo affair, and the CA efforts, I
really cannot believe that government is "for the people, of the people, and
by the people".  It's only there for you if you cater to the games of the
greedy and egotistical... but we have to keep trying to effect change, for
us, and for all the Kodos out there.
 
Email me if you'd like the text of the article.
 
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[Posted in FML issue 1975]