This is a copy of the letter I sent to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory
Council..
 
I had a talk with the legislative Dept of the California Dept of Food and
Agriculture about the plight of illegal pets.
 
Since the CA Fish and Game Dept claimed it didn't have the authority to
define domestic animals, I tried to find out who did have that right.
 
The Dept of Food and Agriculture handles issues about livestock..I aksed
them 'where do pets fit in?' since livestock generaly refers to animals USED
by man as food, clothing, work or medical research.  They said they didn't
cover 'pets or companion animals' mostly due to lack of funding.  The Fish
and Game for some unknown reason is more concerned with pets then the Dept
that SHOULD be handling it.
 
The CA Dept of Food and Agriculture however does support the legalization of
ferrets or other exotics due to the fact that they are (quote) 'sick of
having to confiscate pets at the border station'.  They also support the
views of the California Vet Asso...They are aware that the adverage c itizen
in CA doesn't even know that there ARE prohibited species here.
 
They did say due to the way things are in CA, once a species is prohibited,
even if it was just the Fish and Game who decided they were, it takes an
assembly bill to change it.  The current prohibited list is unconstitutional
since it was an act of the Dept and not voted on.  The F&G Dept however
remains determined to fight any changes only because they have personal
grudges against the people fighting them.  Try calling them and even asking
about ferrets..The mood turns ugly fast..  Its become a personal issue to
the head of the Dept, when they should be concidering the plight of the
animals themselves.  They refuse to issue permits even to those people who
can afford them, unless they were grandfathered in, are very rich (and can
grease the right palms) or are a zoo.  There is only one rescue facility
with the permits and no others have been allowed to start..
 
Such a vendeta against a small harmless animal..  Other exotics are being
targeted to..A top exotic animal vet was turned down for a permit for a
hedgehog after paying over $600 in non-refundable fees.  If one of the top
exotic animal vets in the west coast, who is a standby vet for a ZOO, cannot
get a permit, then what chance do 'normal' people have?
[Posted in FML issue 1869]