Re ferrets and the law in CA
The California Department of Fish and Game are understaffed and
overworked. I'm guessing that many of them wish the ferret issue would
go away. In my part of SoCal it is usually difficult to get a warden,
at most of the regional offices they have insufficient staff to deal
with calls about deer, bobcats, bears, coyotes, illegal hunting,
fishing etc. Also with other animals the public gets upset about
(either the animal is injured - dying deer on the freeway - and they
have to try to deal with it, or someone's kitty has been eaten and the
person is incensed that there is a coyote opportunistically picking
off outside cats).
Most of their income is generated by catching fishermen with illegal
catches. They get no fine money for finding an illegal ferret- so it
actually costs the department (I imagine) in the paperwork, time etc
in dealing with them.
So, usually the local departments of animal control, or humane
societies, or shelters are stuck with the ferret issue. Usually unless
the animal is paraded on a leash on a local beach (and they are - a few
years ago my roommate saw a policeman on a bike smiling at one guy at
a local beach parading with his ferret and said what a cute ferret it
was) no-one knows who has ferrets. When they wander off they usually
get killed by a local dog, eaten by a coyote, raccoon, or great horned
owl. The few that are picked up (out of an estimated 10-100 thousand
in the state, no-one knows for sure) are taken to animal control or a
humane society. In my part of the world, the local DAC say they will
hold the animals and check with the owner about shipping out of state.
Supposedly the alternative is euthanasia. I have never heard on the
grapevine (and there is one) that euthanasia actually happens. One DAC
further north was threatened with a law suit (the owner was an attorney
and said he was from out of state and had a permit) and gave it back.
My impression from some inside info that the animals go somewhere, but
are not killed. Does not mean they always go back to the original
owner, just not killed.
The local H.Soc does not even accept them - I don't think they like
being in the euthanasia business to begin with - and they also have to
deal with calls about feral or unwanted cats and dogs, and cruelty to
animal issues, so I imagine taking a dear and loved pet away from a
person when they are wanting it back would not sit too well with them.
Not to mention having to ship them out of state and getting the owner
to pay for it.
I have no idea if there is an underground system so that the animals
eventually make their way back to the original owners from out of
state, but there are rumors to that effect.
Most of the ferrets that do end up at Dept Animal Control here are
there because citizens do not understand their rights. If someone
(CDFG, HS, DAC) come to the door they have to have a search warrant. If
a landlord finds a tenant has a ferret, and they call the police, once
again they have to have seen the animal, and the police have to have a
search warrant. You ask them to come back with one, and you move the
ferret out. If you own your own home - don't let them escape, and don't
let anyone who doesn't like you know you have one.
BTW There are more ferret vets in CA than any other state (see Ferret
Anonymous website http://www.ferretsanonymous.com/ - cute pics of a
black footed ferret there right now. Every Petsmart and Petco have a
ferret section - Marshall toys, Totally ferret foods etc. People often
buy ferrets from Arizona or Oregon or Nevada and just drive them back
avoiding the Agriculture checkpoints (not every highway in/out of CA
has an Ag checkpoint)
In a way, it's better they aren't on sale here, since like everywhere
else, ferrets are often given up - usually to a vet - who holds onto
them until they find them a home. Sometimes they are relinquished
because of family problems, sometimes financial issues. There is a lost
and found hotline on the FA site if you have a ferret that escapes.
There are usually ferrets looking for homes, mostly somewhat older
animals, already adrenal, sometimes landlord says get rid of it,
sometimes just biters. Legalization of ownership but not sale at pet
stores would be my preference. Most places in CA are far enough away
from a place to buy that it restrains impulse buying. In Arizona, one
pet store usually has half a dozen juvenile animals on sale for $300
apiece. After a succession of deaths I drove out, bought one, and hid
my illegal immigrant in a box over which I draped a coat. He was asleep
most of the trip. The inspection lady waved me through without looking
inside - she said they only ask about fruit and veggies if people are
coming from further inside Arizona. No mention of ferrets, (this was
four years ago) and I didn't bring them up.
The CDFG website is kind of outdated, but it does have some of their
survey info and the stuff about environmental damage world wide (world
wide = New Zealand only - what a joke) . I personally agree that Hawaii
(although there are a few there I understand) should not allow them to
be brought in by their owners. They have too much of every kind of
mammal there - with probably humans top of the list for causing most
of the damage. Could not resist that!
The CDFG site is at
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/species/nuis_exo/ferret/ferret.html
Don't know if Arnold's kids still have ferrets - it's rumored they used
to. The grapevine says he is sympathetic (he obviously is not afraid of
them in Kindergarten cop), but obviously with all the current problems
in Ca - economy etc - this is low on his list of priorities. CDFG has
more important things to worry about than chasing down pet ferrets -
they need more staff, wardens and funds to deal with the other problems
the state has.
FerretLover in CA
[MM]
[Posted in FML 6168]
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