Question for everyone about moving TO California with ferrets. I lived
in California for six years, but did not become a ferret mom until I
had moved back to the south two years ago. I am considering moving BACK
to California and was worried about getting my ferrets in. When I drove
out there to move there in 1999, our car was stopped at the border
(outside of Needles, I believe) and "inspected" to make sure we weren't
bringing in any birds or outside fruits or plants (that's what I was
told, anyway). This "inspection" consisted of an inspection officer
briefly glancing at my dogs and suitcases in the backseat and then
letting us go on our way.

The same thing happened when I came in through I-10 a couple of years
later, when I had left to visit family and then drove back into
California.

I have had people look at me in disbelief when I tell them this and
say they have never been stopped or "inspected" on their way into
California. Maybe it was just ME - I could see how a middle-aged woman
and her teenage daughter in a 5-year-old Toyota Corolla with a pug and
a bulldog in the backseat could cause a state trooper's
DANGERWILLROBINSON alarms to go off in his head... :)

So...how can I be sure to get my ferrets back into California if I do
move there? Certain place to come in? Certain time of day/night or
certain day of week? Were my "inspections" just random occurrences
that will likely not happen again? If they do "catch" me, will they
confiscate and put down my ferrets, or just turn me around?

If I can't take my four ferrets, I'm not even considering this job
offer and will not be going back to California, but I'm really
concerned about whether I should even consider it and how others
have moved to California with their ferrets.

Any info is appreciated - thank you!

A. Nonymous

[Posted in FML 5522]