Hello everyone, it's good to be back!
 
I really don't know how this vote will go on Tuesday (I don't know the room
number but the time is 9:30 A.M.--Jan's office will know (916) 445-2484).  I
did receive the very discouraging news that the block of opposition, CA Farm
Bureau, CA Waterfowl, Sierra Club, DFG, Health Services, Audubon Society,
Planning and Conservation League... jeez have I left out anyone?  are
demanding a study prior to legalization.  A study!  As if it's ok to
classify a single domesticated species as a wild animal here and ban it.
How about studying whether or not the ferret is domesticated, whether or
not it belongs in the list in the first place?  That ought to be the first
empirical question for any scientific mind.
 
It should be irrelevant that the ferret just happens to have the most
insignificant impact on people, the environment, and humane resources when
compared to other domesticated animals.  The only question should be is it
or is it not a domesticated animal.  But DFG has managed to cloud that issue
or make it irrelevant.  We need to change that.  There should be no option
available to California but ferret legalization.  It's a matter of
individual rights.
 
The absurd idea of a study also asks that we overlook the fact that every
single other state department of Fish and Game went in exactly the opposite
direction from ours on legalization (New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine,
Michigan, Georgia, Mass, all supported legalization, California is the only
state to actively oppose it.)  We must also overlook the fact that 50 states
report no feral ferrets.  In fact, lets overlook all the facts and have
California, according to the wishes of the opposition, squander taxpayer
dollars asking questions that are irrelevant, questions that have already
been asked and answered by so many others, because California can apparently
afford to spend your money re inventing the wheel.
 
And the folks the opposition wants to rely on for a study are the wildlife
biologists at UC DAVIS who are already in DFG's pocket.  We've already
received information from UC Davis wildlife biologist Whissen and he calls
ferrets a "high risk" for going feral here.  What a joke, wonder where he
got his information.  Any study from UC Davis is going to be a lie, there's
no question about that.  And it will stink of the CA DFG because they will
write it.
 
Fact is, the only state wildlife agency to have a ferret problem (not to
mention an ethics problem) and the only University to compromise it's
integrity on the same issue, by throwing science overboard are in California.
If you think I'm more than a little hot about this you're right.  And it
gets worse.
 
By far the most reprehensible news is that CA DFG is calling the CA Research
Bureau Report biased and they want it changed to reflect their views.  They
specifically complained that they weren't given a chance to review it prior
to its release.  CALIFORNIANS, PLEASE WAKE UP IF YOU'RE SLEEPING!  This
report was requested by the legislature and was intended to be an objective
study that looked at our claims, DFG's claims, then went to third parties
for the answers.  CA DFG didn't like the answers they received and want it
altered to affect their views, or as they did with the PRI report, they'll
trash it!
 
But this is standard modus operandi for CA DFG.  You might recall my update
relating how DFG lied to the Fish and Game Commission in 1986 about ferrets
decimating a population of endangered terns in MASS.  Fact is, someone from
CA DFG called to see if ferrets were legal in MA and received some answers
he didn't like-- the caller was told that though ferrets were not legal, MA
Fisheries and Wildlife supported legalization, indeed sponsored a bill to
legalize them.  Yet somehow this translated into a tern orgy by ferrets on
Monomoy Island in California DFG's official report to the Fish and Game
Commission.  Again, CALIFORNIANS WAKE UP!  These people play dirty.  They
lie, they cheat, and they are about to steal from you if they get their way
with this so called study.
 
If there are any of you who have sat back and complacently expected AB 363
to pass without your full-tilt involvement, you'd better get in gear ASAP.
In fact, it may already be too late since the policy committee hearing is
right around the corner!
 
Did I say it was good to be back?!!!!!
 
I have to tell you that I'm worried on the eve of this vote.  I see the
opposition working its lies, massaging them to suit their various audiences.
DFG picks up information on the internet, using articles by ferret shelters
about full or overflowing shelters, then sends them to humane groups hoping
to buy their opposition.  Thankfully, what most of these groups also know is
that municipal animal control and humane agencies don't see many ferrets.
They're not euthanizing hundreds or thousands, or hundreds of thousands of
ferrets precisely because of the hard work of the people running ferret
shelters.  Where are the dog and cat people calling for spay/neuter for
their preferred pets?  How many no-kill dog/cat shelters are there?  It's a
sickness at DFG that causes them to try to turn the love and commitment
ferret owners have for these animals against them.  I don't think this lame
humane tactic will work but you need to know what DFG is up to and why we
must not give up.  We will need to literally fight a war to win ferret
legalization in California.
 
If we lose this committee vote the bill becomes a two year bill.  It is my
understanding that we will not have to go through the Assembly again, but we
will still have to pass the Senate policy committees, the Senate floor, and
the Governor.  And I'm sure I don't have to remind you that Jan is leaving
at the end of this session (1998).
 
If each one of you Californians could make a personal commitment to see that
your Senator receives 100 letters from friends, family, co-workers, other
animal lovers at pet stores, vet offices etc.  we may still have a chance.
It may also mean you will need to set up a meeting with your local farm
bureau and Sierra Club chapter to voice your concern about their unfair
opposition to this bill.  Opposition to AB 363 is not based on facts but on
the brotherhood established between lobbying groups in Sacramento, and their
relationship to DFG.  And you pay the price (fines and confiscation of your
ferret) for having chosen a safer pet to the articulated "concerns" of these
groups.  Your ferret is safer to the environment, to ducks and other birds,
to endangered species, to people, than any backyard, OR BARNYARD, OR HUNTING
DOG, or lapdog that the members of these groups so readily enjoy with
impunity.  Yet you are a criminal.  Don't let them do this to you without
fighting for your rights to live in peace with the domesticated companion
animal of your own choosing!  How ironic that you can have a cat (uneutered
and outdoors) and they are silent.  What does that tell you about facts?
 
I know there are thousands of Californians that aren't doing anything to
help with legalization.  Some we haven't yet reached, some we've touched but
they remain unconvinced, unconnected or complacent.  Their help, your help,
is critical.  At least the word is getting out about our efforts here.  Both
Modern Ferret Magazine and Critters, USA have donated full pages for our
WANTED posters and Allie of AllieCats is donating 100+ ferret legalization
buttons with the most adorable con in California asking for Yes votes on AB
363 which we'll have on hand in Long Beach for the pet store convention.
But it may not be fast enough.  Please get involved.  We can help.  Let us
know where to mail you a ferret fact sheet and new Senate Wanted poster.
Write your State Senator now and get those posters up to spread the word.
 
We also have a new webpage and domain name (www.ferretnews.org) and you may
not realize that the cost of the site and the name, not to mention all of
the time, are donated by our webmaster Scott Beisner.  It's a terrific page,
always up to date and I know it is one of our best sources of new interest.
I have also seen California updates in so many ferret newsletters from
Virginia to Oregon and even overseas and I know that all Californians
appreciate the support we've been given by the ferret community.  Really a
sincere thank you is owed to all of you for your generous efforts to help
with legalization in California.
 
Sorry this post is so long.  I did notice that a few people kept a candle
burning for California on the FML and I wish I could have brought better
news for you all.
 
Keep a good thought for California on Tuesday.  Maybe there will be good
news by then.  I hope so.
 
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 ASSEMBLYMEMBER AND STATE SENATOR BY
VISITING THIS SITE!! IT'S TIME TO CALL AND WRITE YOUR 	SENATOR--THE FIRST
COMMITTEE VOTE WILL HAPPEN SOON!	
[Posted in FML issue 1993]