Before you go and groan let me tell you what is happening. State Sen. Diedre Aplert is about to indroduce legislation that would provide amnesty to domestic ferrets in California before (probably) April 1 of 2003 that have proof of rabies vaccination, altering (spayed or neutered), microchipped, and marked by Fish and Game. These ferrets would have to be registered for a fee and the money would go to fund a study on the potential impact of domestic ferrets in California. After the Study the Fish and Game commission would have to vote up or down on removing these domestic housepets from the prohibited species list. The study would be done by an independent third party.
In the past amnesty bills have been backed by the overwhelming majority of Assemblymembers and State Senators both Liberal and Conservative (ex Sen Jackie Spiers (D) and Sen Rico Oller ® (a hunter). The point where the past bills have been shot down is in the funding of the study. In the past ferret enthusiast have been unwilling to pay the bill. Recently there has been a compromise with the majority of ferret owners being more than happy to pay a permit fee. It is not known if Gov. Davis will sign the bill.
The Sierra Club and the California Audobon Society (not the national body) as well as theCalifornia Waterfowl Association have been against any kind of legalization. Two of these groups are the enemy and one is just sucking up to Fish and Game and we all know why( access to the agency). Please write your Assemblymember and State Senator and ask that they support ferret amnesty that includes the study of the impact of ferrets. If the Commission says no to removing them then the issue is settled. If they say yes then Fish and Game has one less non game related issue to address.
In the past amnesty bills have been backed by the overwhelming majority of Assemblymembers and State Senators both Liberal and Conservative (ex Sen Jackie Spiers (D) and Sen Rico Oller ® (a hunter). The point where the past bills have been shot down is in the funding of the study. In the past ferret enthusiast have been unwilling to pay the bill. Recently there has been a compromise with the majority of ferret owners being more than happy to pay a permit fee. It is not known if Gov. Davis will sign the bill.
The Sierra Club and the California Audobon Society (not the national body) as well as theCalifornia Waterfowl Association have been against any kind of legalization. Two of these groups are the enemy and one is just sucking up to Fish and Game and we all know why( access to the agency). Please write your Assemblymember and State Senator and ask that they support ferret amnesty that includes the study of the impact of ferrets. If the Commission says no to removing them then the issue is settled. If they say yes then Fish and Game has one less non game related issue to address.
