Hello everyone,
As you know, the CA Fish and Game Commission was ordered by Judge Judith
McConnell to make an administrative ruling on whether or not the ferret is a
wild animal since this state has never determined it to be either wild or
domesticated (yet it appears in a list of prohibited wildlife). My father
and I flew down to San Diego last Thursday for a Fish and Game Commission
Hearing. Unfortunately it turned out to be a 16 hour day for us since we
weren't heard until late in the afternoon, and all flights leaving San Diego
for San Francisco that evening were delayed at by over 4 hours. It was an
exhausting day, one we hoped would not be in vain.
My father pointed out to the Commission that prior to Deputy Attorney
General Randy Christison's (Legal Counsel for Fish and Game) pronouncement
that the Commission did not have the authority to remove ferrets from the
list of wild animals, another Deputy Attorney General, Bion Gregory, counsel
for the State Legislature, said quite clearly that the Commission did have
that authority in a letter to Senator Kopp. Mr. Christison's advice to the
Commission precipitated the lawsuit by Marshall Farms, USA. California
taxpayers are picking up the tab. Mr. Christison's opinion certainly had
little or no effect on Judge McConnell, she found that the Commission did
have the authority to add or delete animals from the list of prohibited
wildlife, and that the ferrets status had never been determined. In her
judgement, she ordered the Commission to determine the ferret's status prior
to listing it as a wild animal. My father asked that the Commission not
appeal the judgment, since it is obvious to everyone except Mr. Christison
that the Commission has the authority to make such a determination.
I told the Commission that while the ferret had yet to be determined by this
state to be a wild animal, people like Ilona Maggard had their homes
ransacked by Fish and Game, had their family pets taken, and were fined
thousands of dollars. I told the Commission about the fire that took all
of Steve Gilger's possessions except his two pet ferrets which the state
prompty seized--what the fire didn't take the State did. I told the
Commission that in the absence of a determination that the ferret was wild,
and therefore prohibited, people like Brent Utley were jailed! I asked
that the Commission expedite a determination of the ferret's status as wild
or domesticated because people were being unfairly punished for owning an
animal whose status had yet to be determined.
Unfortunately we just found out that once again, Mr. Christison's agenda is
clearly revealed. He's advised the Commission that if they go ahead with a
hearing on the ferret's status that they will be breaking several laws (we
can't wait to see what those are and I'm sure Judge McConnell will be
interested in them as well). I hope the Commission remembers the sound
advice they've received from Mr. Christison when the Commission loses this
appeal. How much taxpayer money does Mr. Christison have the authority to
waste? How can Mr. Christison justify yet another expensive, absurd and
unfair delay tactic? Maybe the problem is that Mr. Christison doesn't have
to justify anything to anybody. Hello Governor Wilson, hello Dan Lungren?
Anybody home? What do you think they're afraid of?
If you would like to express your opinion about the Commission's appeal you
can write to the Commission at-- angry is fine (they've earned it),
insulting or nasty is not, please:
California Fish and Game Commission
Mr. Robert Treanor, Executive Director
P.O. Box 944209
Sacramento, CA 94244-2090
Fax: (916)653-1856
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 STATE SENATOR BY VISITING THIS SITE!!
CALL AND WRITE YOUR SENATOR AND GOV. WILSON--DON'T LET OUR BILL DIE!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For pure ferret fun, check out http://www.ferretcalendar.com
[Posted in FML issue 2245]
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