Ferrets are a Menace?
In California, ferrets are illegal. Despite volumes of convincing evidence that ferrets are not the menace that California suggests, lawmakers still have not budged from their position.
Source: FlickrBoyd Gibbons, Director of California Department of Fish and Game, in a letter written on March 25, 1994, claimed that “the state of Massachusetts has adopted a law (with) restrictions against ferrets because… wild ferrets deciminated [sic] a population of endangered Terns.” Conversely, Thomas M. French, Assistant Director of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in a letter dated February 20, 1991, stated that “there has never been a recorded case of Tern predation by a ferret in Massachusetts. In fact, I have never heard of such a case anywhere in North America.”
Score: California - 0, Ferrets - 1
Jack C. Parnell, Director of California Department of Fish and Game, in a memo from February 26, 1986, purported that “ferrets prey upon… waterfowl.” However, The United States Department of the Interior stated on February 19, 1997, that “in the 30-year history of research conducted by Northern Prairie Science Center on nesting waterfowl, domestic ferrets have never been identified or considered as a predator of duck nests.” Furthermore, the Delta Waterfowl Foundation, said in a letter dated February 11, 1997, “(we have) never heard of any problem with domestic ferrets destroying waterfowl eggs and… we have never encountered any domestic ferrets in the fields.”
Score: California - 0, Ferrets - 2
Boyd Gibbons, in a letter and Ferret Fact Sheet dated March 25, 1994, claimed that “ferrets can and will survive in the wild in California.” And, in the same letter, he also says that “stray, nonbreeding ferrets could have serious impacts on local wildlife populatons.” Yet, the United States Public Health Service says that “domestic ferrets… can survive only in captivity”, the Centers for Disease Control asserts that “stray ferrets do not appear capable… of establishing themselves in the wild”, and the State of New Jersey, Department of Environmental Protection argues that “lost ferrets are rarely found and usually die soon after escape.”
Score: California - 0, Ferrets - 3
The California Department of Health Services hypothesizes that “ferrets,… like pit bulls have been bred to be especially ferocious.” Not according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Public Health Service who testify that ferrets are “easily handled and non-dangerous” and “docile and cat-like”. Doesn’t sound too ferocious to me!
Score: California - 0, Ferrets - 4
And who knows how the California Department of Health Services supports its 1988 claim that “ferrets… have contributed to the extinction of 20 species of New Zealand birds and have pushed many to the brink of extinction.” Certainly not Carolyn King, Scientific Editor of The Royal Society of New Zealand, who states that “mustelids (ferrets, stoats, weasels and polecats) cannot be proved to be directly responsible for any of the shockingly long list of island populations of birds that we know to have become extinct since the human colonization of New Zealand.” She adds further, “There is not a single known extinction or diminution in New Zealand that can be regarded as definitely and solely due to (ferrets and other) mustelids… Overseas the story is the same: only 1 percent of 163 extinctions recorded from islands all over the world since 1600 have been attributed to mustelids compared with 26% attributed to cats and 54% attributed to rats.”
Score: California - 0, Ferrets - 5
Once again, the California Department of Health Services makes another astounding claim: “Being fearless, savage and tenacious… should make (ferrets) exceptionally effective transmitters of rabies.” Yet, the Centers for Disease Control Annual Summaries of Rabies Surveillance (1984-1990) clearly indicate findings of 2,310 rabid cats, 2,240 rabid dogs, and only 10 rabid ferrets.
Score: California - 0, Ferrets - 6
Boyd Gibbons (him again!) erroneously claimed in the same apocryphal letter from 1994 that there is no proven vaccine to prevent rabies in ferrets. Donald G. Hildebrand, President of Rhone Merieux, in a letter penned less than two weeks later, stated that “Rhone Merieux is the manufacturer of IMRAB, a killed rabies vaccine which has been approved by the United States Department of Agriculture for use in six species of animals, including ferrets…”
Score: California - 0, Ferrets - 7
Ding, ding! Technical knock-out!
I think this site is great. Having owned 6 ferrets, 3 of which I have now, I know that they make great pets. I also have a toddler and he simply loves them. My female is the only one who has ever tried to defend herself from my son and that was shortly after I was given her and her brother. They had been kept in a cage and rarely handeled for over a year. They quickly adapted and are an invaluable part of our family. This Vermont family supports your cause.
Ferrets are NOT a menace. I own a male and female. They can be tricky and stubborn and hide in all sorts of lovely places, and steal my chips when I’m eating… or bury their noses in my ice cream… and they might poop in the corner if you’re not watching them… they are no different then any cat. I love these little beings. From another Vermont lady.
Yeaaaaah, ferrets are awesome! I have a choclate [sic] standard female named cheesenip. I’m bored so I just thought I would inform all of you of that interesting fact.
I agree. I have 2 ferrets and they are great pets. I live in California. Despite what the law says, I have them and I am happy with them. The vets in California work on them, and the biggest pet stores sell ferret products. If a person can have a rat as a pet i should be able to have a ferret legally. LEGALIZE FERRETS!!!!!!!
Yeah! Ferrets need to be legal! I would love to have one of these bundles of fur, but I can’t. Oh well. We might move to Vancouver soon.
Ferrets make GREAT pets. I do not know where CA got such info. I have 1 year old cousin who holded my ferrets they did not attack her at all! She love them.
I am writing a paper for class tomorrow. It is an argument paper and I chose the topic “Ferrets in CA: They shold be legalised!” I was using the google search engine for research and came across this page. I absolutely ADORE it!!! I have a small rescue in CA to help people who can no longer handle the stress of having an illegal pet or who can’t afford proper care and time for their fuzzies. I am going to try and get my paper published in the local newspaper. Wish me luck!
Dook Dook! LEGALISE FERRETS!!! NOT FISH, NOT GAME, HOUSE PET!!!
Yeah for ferrets!! My wife & I inherited 2 from our children when they graduated from college.(moved to Calif.) We both think they are a great joy, and very entertaining —- especially playing with our cat. Ferrets used to be illegal in N.H., our home, but thank God they were FINALLY legalized here. Love them dearly!!!! (Get off the pot [quit smoking it anyway] California, and legalize ferrets!) Rod
Yeah, all we do here in California is smoke pot.
*sigh*
I just recently adopted a ferret who was found in someones back yard…she was a victim of mistreatment, and is slowly recovering…but she is so wonderfull! She hasn’t been able to move around much due to a nonfunctional left leg, but she does the best she can but cannot make left turns very well. I live in California as well, and I have no problem find a vet for her or anything else. So my question is: if you can’t own a ferret, how come you can buy everything to do with a ferret at the pet store?
My excuse if they catch me: Well I figured since you can buy everything to do with a ferret at your local pet store, I figured they were promoting Ferrets.
Oh yea, and one more thing, she’s extremely interested in pot, and the smell of it and the smoke…darn thing! Can’t keep her outta it.