If the fish and game claim its the feds who have the authority, then since
ferrets are in fact a domestic species, then it falls on the USDA..NOT the
federal wildlife comission, who has no interest whatsoever in domestic
species.  They don't even care about domestic skunks, hedgehogs or any
species bred for more then 3-4 generations in captivity.  They pretty much
look at captive bred exotics as domestic already.  The USDA does control
captive bred exotics though, but conciders ferrets to be non-regulated and
the same as cats and dogs.  Things like sugar gliders still need a USDA
permit, but they are only about $10 a year for pets.
 
So if the CA Fish & Game is 'passing the buck' to the Feds..We have already
won.  The Feds already concider ferrets and a lot of other species that are
illegal in CA to be domestic.  If the CA Fish and Game thinks the federal
laws will keep ferrets ilegal, boy have THEY not been in touch with
organizations outside CA!
[Posted in FML issue 1752]