Hello Everyone,
 
Well, we have a very changed bill, but it is one that is still viable
because of the changes, and is a definite step forward for ferret
legalization in California.  Days prior to our Committee hearing the
opposition turned up the heat by forming a consortium and sending, under a
single letterhead, a demand for amendments to AB 363 that required a
risk-assessment study PRIOR to legalization, and to include licensing as
mandatory for ferrets if or when they are legalized.
 
Here is the final vote tally on AB 363:
 
Senators Monteith, Johannessen, Alpert, Hayden, Leslie, O'Connell and Sher
supported our bill.  Senator Thompson abstained and Senator Johnston
(Stockton area) voted no.
 
Please contact the Senators that supported this bill and thank them for their
support, we had to make concessions to keep moving but without their support
we would not be able to move forward.
 
For your information, the names on the letterhead mentioned above are:
 
National Audubon Society, Sierra Club California, California League of
Conservation Voters, Planning and Conservation League, California Waterfowl
Association and California Farm Bureau
 
Also, as an 11th hour ambush, a small group (1-2) with a loud voice (at least
in the Committee) weighed in demanding various amendments, non of which were
adopted in the end.  I think the fact that they came out viciously in the
11th hour (our bill has been around for 4 years) and characterized the bill
as "horrible, the worst...." sent their credibility into a bit of a tailspin
at least in this committee.
 
However, it was clear that the voices of the opposition contained in the
consortium letterhead was having an very big impact on these Senators and
our bill would not survive without serious amendments.  In the end, there
was a compromise and as it stands, AB 363 has been amended to grandfather in
all ferrets already in California as long as they are spayed or neutered,
vaccinated and licensed.  What these means for the several hundred thousand
ferret owners in California, is that they will be decriminalized and their
ferrets legalized as of Jan.  1, 1998.
 
As part of this compromise, the licensing fee will fund a two year study to
commence on October 12th 1997 (the last day the Governor has to sign the
bill).  Ferret owners will have until June 30th 1998 to license their
ferrets thereby legalizing them as long as they have complied with the
spay/neuter and vaccination-- this didn't come up in committee but I am sure
that kits will be exempt from the vaccination until they are old enough to
be safely vaccinated against rabies.
 
I expressed CFL's concern that the Department of Fish and Game and UC Davis
would not be objective or impartial in any ferret study, so an outside
source will be appointed by the Fish and Game Commission after a public
hearing on the matter.  I also insisted that no ferrets would be released
into the wild as part of this study, that it would be a violation of state
humane laws to do so and I know that most in the Humane fields would
adamantly oppose such action.  Thankfully the Chair, Senator Hayden, and
several others, agreed with that, though I fully expect DFG to continue to
press this matter.  After all, they have to do something with those ferrets
in Rancho Cordova that they've been feeding live chicks to.
 
At the end of the two year study, which concludes on October 12th 2000, the
data will be evaluated.  At that point, another legalization bill, one that
legalizes ferrets for sale and ownership similar to other domesticated pets
will be introduced, because any objective study will confirm what has
already taken place in California in the last eight years-- there will be no
impact on wildlife from domesticated ferrets.
 
Californians, you have an opportunity to do yourselves and your pets a great
service.  You and your ferrets will be able to travel safely to the vet
without fear of fine or confiscation.  You will enjoy the legal ownership of
each of your ferrets for its lifetime and will have taken one more step
towards eventually bringing California into line with the rest of the
country on this issue.  You will also have fought some very powerful
interests, a true David and Goliath, battle, and held your own.  You will
have a lot to be proud of.
 
But our work isn't over yet.  We have to pass the Senate Appropriations
Committee and the Senate floor.  Please get letters in to the Chair of the
Appropriations Committee, Senator Pat Johnston (unfortunately the only no
vote), urging him to support this bill.  Visit our website at
http://www.ferretnews.org for a complete listing of the next committee.
This will be heard in Appropriations the next couple of weeks so please
contact these Senators quickly.
 
Congratulations to all of you who have worked so hard to see this bill move
forward.  Jan again did a wonderful job in Committee and we had some
touching testimony from a woman who, along with her mother, use ferrets with
pediatric aids patients-- I don't want to give her name because she said in
Committee she hoped DFG wouldn't retaliate.
 
Jeanne Carley
Californians for Ferret Legalization (CFL)
410 Mountain Home Road  Woodside, CA  94062
(415) 851-3750   <[log in to unmask]>
http://www.ferretnews.org-- CFL Website
CALIFORNIANS, YOU CAN FIND OUT YOUR ASSEMBLYMEMBER AND STATE SENATOR BY
VISITING THIS SITE!! IT'S TIME TO CALL AND WRITE YOUR   SENATOR--THE FIRST
COMMITTEE VOTE WILL HAPPEN SOON!
[Posted in FML issue 1997]