I am writing for my first time because I am getting very tired of people
accusing Pat Wright of things that they do not know anything about.
 
We had had a ferret freedom march in the park the previous year - and
nothing happened.  Letting your ferrets out of the house to see the sun or
play on some grass may seem like nothing to those of you who live in states
where ferrets are legal but it means a lot to some of us in California -
and to our ferrets.  If it did not seem like a safe thing to do, I doubt if
any one of us would have been there.  As soon as the cop showed up, all of
us left - at the urging of Pat, whom some of you have characterized as
"compulsive and foolhardy".
 
His ferret did not "bite someone" in the recent incident at Balboa Park.
The little girl was squeezing the ferret too tightly and it scratched her
trying to get away.  Normally, there would have not been much reaction to
this but the girl cried out for her mother - who was several hundred yards
away.  Everybody there felt that the little girl needed attention from a
mother who obviously did not want to be burdened with taking care of her
(as she let her wander off out of sight).  Any other little girl would have
forgotten about it in a minute.  If anyone would have known that the little
girl was not there with her mother, nobody would have let her hold, much
less touch a ferret, because we are only too aware of what can happen.
 
Pat Wright has done "much good and helped the community through lobbying
and such".  He has been very active in the San Diego area about ferrets -
and has had the local Libertarian party (or at least all of their
candidates that I have met) come out in favor of legalization.  He has
talked to as many legislators as would listen and has been active in
organizing support for the bills that have been presented before the
legislature in the past years.
 
And then there is the comment "Even though his ferret bit someone, had he
cooperated, would they have allowed it to live with proof of a rabies
shot?" Pat cooperated fully when Rocky bit the camerman on the thumb -
and he got Rocky handed back to him in two pieces.  This was after he was
promised that if he handed over Rocky that he would just be quarantined.
And, yes, of course Rocky had regular rabies shots and Pat had proof of
them.
 
Re Pat having a knife in his hands when ten police and DFG broke down his
door (yes, just like you see on "Cops").  Yes, he did - but it was a
kitchen knife and even the police report stated that he did not point it at
anyone but held it at his side.  I can understand that that is a foolish
thing to do but he was very afraid (think of what they had done to Rocky).
 
I am ashamed at the ferret community here in California.  I have only known
Pat for three years - but I have never seen anything in him that would
cause the rest of the ferret community to turn against him.  In fact, I
would love to know why so many people have turned against him - but all I
read / hear are very nonspecific opinions.  Even Jeanne Carley whom I
respect very highly seems to have turned on him (if I read her letters
correctly).  I would like to know why.
 
Lastly, he is in jail because he refused to let the police and DFG come in
unannounced any time they felt like it - definitely not because as someone
said "he's in jail for threatening a police officer with a weapon." If I
was in his shoes, I just might do the same thing as I feel that my ferrets
are part of my family and I do not want any harm to come to them.  Re the
"hefty padlocks" on his doors - what kind do you recommend that police
cannot go through?  Remember, they broke down his door - and the locks were
not especially flimsy.  Do you think that the police would just give up?
[Posted in FML issue 2972]