Hello everyone,
 
On Thursday, April 6th, at 10:00 AM the CA Fish and Game Commission will
again hear the ferret issue.  The meeting will be held at the Resources
Bldg.  Auditorium (first floor) at 1416 9th St., Sacramento.
 
Expected to testify against this issue is the CA Waterfowl Association
who apparently has a close relationship with UC Davis Wildlife Biologist
Dessley Whisson, National Audubon Society and possibly the Sierra Club and
Farm Bureau.
 
These organizations have consistently lied about ferrets and their ability
to impact wildlife.  They don't seem to care that the CA Department of Fish
and Game's own survey showed that not a single state in this country has
ever documented a case of feral ferrets.  In contrast, cats, dogs (CA
Waterfowl members routinely use dogs to retrieve ducks), horses, goats
and pigs, do go feral in the US.  These organizations support making
criminals of everyone of you that own domesticated ferrets yet they can
own dometsticated pets that are far more dangerous to the environment with
impunity.  This is unfair and if you don't want to see this continue, you
must take a stand.
 
I've told you all before to get a copy of the survey that Fish and Game did
on ferrets.  The results are stellar and you need to be able to use this to
help legalize your pets.  The survey is called 1996-97 Nationwide Ferret
Survey of State Wildlife Agencies.  It is available from the Department of
Fish and Game.  I urge you to obtain a copy of this survey to use both with
your legislators and the Commission.  It is available by requesting the
1996-97 Nationwide Ferret Survey of State Wildlife Agencies and by writing
to:
 
Ron Jurek
Department of Fish and Game
1416 9th st. #1266
Sacramento, CA  95814
 
Ferret supports need a large and positive presence at this hearing.  I
can't emphasize this enough!  If you can come, be prepared to make a short
statement in support of this issue.  If you can't come, you must write to
the Commission and have all of your friends, family and ferret veterinarian
write as well.  They need to know the scope of this issue since the
opposition consistently tries to misrepresent this issue as only affecting
a very few.
 
When you testify or write to the Commission, let them know that the
inclusion of a single domesticated species in a list of prohibited wildlife
makes no sense--even more so when the animal is clearly a safer pet to the
environment than a dog or cat.  Let them know that the ferret's status as
domesticated in irrefutable and is confirmed by 155 zoos, zoological
societies and mamalogists.  Keeping this domesticated pet in a list of
prohibited wildlife criminalizes Californians who own or want to own
ferrets.  Point out the double standard of organizations like CA Waterfowl
whose members own dogs.  Dogs cause more harm to the environment and people
than ferrets.
 
Tell the Commission that the law isn't working.  That CA pet stores
routinely stock ferret supplies and that by the number of folks you know
that own ferrets, this law is routinely ignored.  A law must be reasonable
to be obeyed and this law is unreasonable.  It's tantamount to banning dogs
in Delaware or cats in Connecticut!
 
Let the Commissioners know that by removing the single domesticated species
(the ferret) from the list of prohibited wildlife will not open the door
to sugar gliders, hedgehogs and the like because these animals are not
domesticated.  These animals are not legal in the rest of the states on the
continent.  Keeping the ferret in a list of wildlife because of this fear
is groundless and only serves to diminish the authority of the Commission
and the Department because the public routinely disobeys this law.
 
If you don't want these organizations and individuals to continue to
misrepresent ferrets, and the ferret issue, if you don't want them to
choose your domesticated pets for you, then you must come to the meeting
and speak up.  For those of you who live too far away, you must write to
the Commission.
 
Here's the address:
 
CA Fish and Game Commission
1416 9th St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
 
Please make a note that you want your letter to be a part of the record on
the ferret issue!
 
Jeanne Carley
Californains for Ferret Legalization
410 Mountain Home Road
Woodside, CA  94062
www.ferretnews.org
[Posted in FML issue 2957]