California’s ferret drama continues

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Ferrets may be kept as pets in every state except California and Hawaii, mainly because some legislators and environmentalists years ago worried that domesticated ferrets might escape, start feral colonies and disturb the ecosystem.

But ferret advocates, such as Californians for Ferret Legalization, disagree and for years have tried to get the state law repealed. A recent commentary in the San Francisco Chronicle argues their case, reporting some new developments in the ferret wars.

In the piece, Christie Keith writes that the most recent California legislative activity on ferrets occured in 2006, when the ferret amnesty bill SB 89, designed only to grandfather in ferrets already living in California (and even then only if they were neutered and microchipped), passed the California Assembly by 64-12 and the Senate 27-2.

But the bill was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who some thought would sign it, given that he’d co-starred with a ferret in ‘Kindergarten Cop,’ Keith writes. The governor decided giving amnesty to California’s ferrets required an environmental impact report.

Now, a group called LegalizeFerrets.org recently announced that a donor was willing to pay the cost of the environmental impact report the governor said he needed before he could grant amnesty to California’s ferrets or consider their legalization, Keith reports.

The battle is at a stalemate, essentially.

In the story, Dave Gaines, of the legal and legislative committee of the American Ferret Association, helps explain why.

‘At this point, (ferret legislation) is treated in California political circles as part of a humorous, goofy issue,’ Gaines says. ‘And it would take somebody with a lot of — well ‘courage’ is really the only word — to introduce this bill, somebody who could withstand being laughed at.’

The photo was taken back in 2003 of ferrets Sissy, Bro and Pogo (left to right) of Studio City are among the ferrets that could gain legal status as pets someday.

Also, a live ferret cam maintained by the Smithsonian chronicles a black-footed ferret, and may help satisfy California’s ferret lovers’ hope to see one of the critters.

-Francisco Vara-Orta