its against the law in CA in own a ferret and i dont understand why. its perfectly ok to own them in AZ or the surrounding states so whats the beef CA has about people having them as pets. i hear you can just sneak one across the AZ border and nothing will happen. i hear many people in CA have them - illgally yes but they do.
2007-01-23 19:42:52 · 10 answers · asked by mindi s 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
response to chetcos answer- make sense so riddle me this ; where are ferrets native too
2007-01-23 19:59:34 · update #1
California is the last state in the Union to have an active law forbid ownership of ferrets. Not because they are dangerous, or rabies or they will get loose and eat all the citrus fruit.
Simply,
get this,
because the Black Footed Ferret is on the endangered species list. So many years ago almost all states forbid people to own ferrets. Ranchers like the Black Footed Ferret because they eat prarie dogs, but due to wide spread poisoning of prarie dogs, the BF Ferret population was desimated. Up until 1981 they were thought to be extinct. Then a small community was found and breeding has progressed well. http://www.blackfootedferret.org/
The law makers refuse to change the law since they are too anal to realize that pet ferrets are domesticated and the black footed ferret is wild. Like saying dogs are illegal because wolves are almost extinct.
Well read if for yourself at the source.
2007-01-23 22:28:43 · answer #1 · answered by shovelkicker 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ferrets are seen as dangerous. They are also seen as wild animals and there is a fear that they will form feral colonies after escaping from their homes. Yes, they do bite, but so do dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. In fact, dogs are more than 200x more likely to bite a human.
There are an estimated 100,000-500,000 ferrets illegally in CA. It's pretty obvious when you walk into a pet store.
However, ferret owners run the risk that their pets could be confiscated and euthanized.
CA and HI are the only two states that haven't legalized ferrets.
Other illegal animals include hedgehogs, sugar gliders, and gerbils.
Almost yearly legislation is attempted, but it has yet to be changed.
2007-01-24 17:04:58 · answer #2 · answered by missyscove 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Governor Schwarzenegger doesn't want ferrets to be captured from their native habitats? Last time I checked, the ferret's native habitat was a person's living room. If people aren't allowed to keep them because of the endangered black-footed ferret, that is the same as not allowing people to keep cats because the Siberian tiger is endangered. They are two completely different species.
Basically, there is absolutely no good reason why ferrets are illegal in California. If you live there and want one, I would make a big stink about it if I were you.
2007-01-24 10:31:38 · answer #3 · answered by Zugunruhly 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
California has long maintained strong laws on animal importations to protect agricultural interests, public health and safety, wild populations of the imported species, the welfare of imported animals, themselves, and the natural resource wealth of the State. The first California regulation restricting imported animals was adopted by the State Board of Horticulture in 1895 to protect the State's resources (Laycock, 1966, p. 220).
California "is home to the largest food and agriculture economy in the nation" and "is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world." Therefore, the introduction of exotic, alien, or invasive species is a serious concern in California. We have seen increasing threats to endangered wildlife by the expanding population of non-native red fox in recent decades. Also, recent introductions into California of detrimental animals such as the northern pike (mid 1980s), Chinese mitten crab (1993), European green crab (1989), and the potential invasion by zebra mussels, have heightened public awareness of how damaging and expensive introduced species can become.
from the government site> http://www.dfg.ca.gov/hcpb/species/nuis_exo/ferret/ferret_issues_4.shtml
Governor Schwarzenegger recently turned down the bill to allow ferrets. He said that it was because he loved them. He stated that, if CA allowed ferrets, they would vastly increase overall ferret population, and more would be captured from their native habitats to provide the breeding stock, just to supply this huge state.. Breeding farms would spring up everywhere, and the humane societies would be overwhelmed, with more to regulate, rescue, and enforce decent breeding practices..He said that Humane societies are already stressed to the max..So, because he loved the ferrets, (after working with them in Kindergarten Cop ) he felt he was protecting them by denying their entrance in to CA..
The largest feral population is in New Zealand.
2007-01-23 19:55:55 · answer #4 · answered by Chetco 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They don't let you have incandescent light bulbs in a remodeled kitchen or bathroom.
They won't let you have a toilet that flushes more than 1.6 gallons.
They won't let you cut down your own tree, that you planted, in your own backyard.
They won't let you own any kind of gun in San Francisco.
They won't let you fly the American flag on fire trucks in Berkeley.
They won't let you raise the rent on your property.
They won't let the military recruit in High Schools or Colleges.
They won't let Boy Scouts use school facilities for meetings.
In other words, California liberals make the laws, and they will tell you how to act, and what you can and can't own. And if they don't want you to own ferrets, you can't. Because they say so.
2007-01-23 20:02:03 · answer #5 · answered by Confused_Cowboy 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I'm kicking myself, cuz I used to know the answer. :) sorry.
I know, other than probally Hawaii, the only other state in recent history that had a ban was Michigan. And several years ago they legalized the possession of ferretts, just not the purchase or sale of ferretts in Michigan.
I know, primarily its a protect the wildlife thing. Ferretts can be harmful to idigenous species if careless owners let the go, abandon them in the wild.
2007-01-23 19:47:49 · answer #6 · answered by daughters_a_wookie 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Where I live it depends what county you live on whether or not you can own a ferret. But according to local myth, one time a few years back a ferret attacked and killed a baby hence the law.
p.s. Nice pompador ;)
2007-01-23 19:46:08 · answer #7 · answered by 88keys 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Do you remember the Movie Kindergarden Cop? Well guess who was in that movie and now Is Gov. of CA. LOL He is probably scared of them after that. LOL.... Nah it is because of Rabies control. I think. You can research it on animal laws in CA. It will give you more info that what I just did. LOL good luck
2007-01-23 20:19:15 · answer #8 · answered by p0pad0t 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
yeah a lot of people have them here.. but maybe it*s cuz their so mischievous lol.. idk.. but ferrets are awesome..
2007-01-23 19:47:20 · answer #9 · answered by sxylilcracker 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Maybe because ca has lots of dogs
i dunno
2007-01-23 19:45:26 · answer #10 · answered by alice 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋