Legalizing Ferrets In California

Ferrets have been banned in California since 1932 when the Fish and Game declared the ferret a wild animal.

Legalizeferrets.org has been working hard to get the ban lifted. Just recently the California Fish and Game listened to those that supported lifting the ban and the few who wished to keep the ban in place. While the meeting ended with the ban staying in place.

The new president, Eric Sklar, is willing to keep hearing about getting ferrets legalized but he has suggested that we work towards getting a bill on to the legislative floor.

The lifting of this ban would allow ferret outlaws (owners) to be able to have their pets without fear of losing them. As it stands now once a ferret is known about the owner has 24-48 hours to get to their ferret out of the state otherwise the ferret would be euthanized. At least the ferret owner has a chance to rescue their pet, unlike some BLS laws that just remove and kill without reason.

Between the entertainment industry and the media, ferrets are portrayed as wild and evil creatures. The sensationalizing of events involving a ferret sometimes is more than when the media report on a dog attack but say it is the result of a pit bull when in many cases that wasn't the breed involved.

Here are just a few facts about ferrets.

1. Ferrets have been domesticated for over 3000 years.

2. Ferrets do not do well in temperatures over 68 degrees (20 celsius)

California can get over 100 degrees (37.7 Celsius) in the summer.

3. Ferrets do not do well in temperatures under 30 degrees (1.1 Celsius)

4. The only ferret in the Wild in the USA is the Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) who is actually a cousin to the ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

5. Ferrets are related to the weasel, otter, and mink. People that say they have seen a wild ferret more than likely have seen a mink.

6. Ferrets are NOT rodents. They were domesticated to hunt rodents and rabbits.

7. Ferrets are the third most owned companion pet in the US after cats and dogs.

8. Ferrets are known as domesticated exotics. This differs from the standard exotic animal which is often taken from the wild. Exotic means unusual or different. See #1

9. Ferrets can get heartworms and it only takes one to kill them.

10. Ferrets live on average 7-10 years.

11. Ferrets can be vaccinated against rabies and distemper.

I am asking that all of my followers write letters to the California State Senate and the State Assembly via email urging them to legalize ferrets. Granted there are nearly 400 representatives with these combined lists but if we can get every one of them on the ferret owners side then just maybe a bill will be created and passed allowing ferrets to live openly in California and also open up to those of us with ferrets to visit California. Both options will add more money to the economy of California.


You can view some of the meeting here

Please Help Us Become Legal in California

“I Have a Dream…”

 

That line is from a famous speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in August of 1963. He was given a holiday by President Ronald Regan in 1983. It is to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday which is January 15th, but the holiday is celebrated on the third Monday of January.

Iz not a speech maker but Iz too have a dream.

Mez Dream is that all ferrets be free to bring their pet Hoomans out of the darkness of fear an into the light of encouragement.

That ferrets and pet Hoomans can live in harmony and not under the persecutions of misguided entities trying to squash the love between ferrets and their pet Hoomans.

It is mez hope that the dream starts tomorrow with the New York City Board of Health recognizing the good our small furry paws can do with the ban on us lifted.

It is also mez hope that the state of California will sit up and take notice of the movement and will take a long look at their prejudice  towards us ferrets and also remove their ban.

On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day Iz ask you to help bring this dream a paw step closer by signing this petition to Introduce Ferret Legalization to Legislation so at the very least the California Legislation will put the matter on the rolls to hear from the pet Hoomans and not just those that wish to oppress us ferrets.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Manny

Come on California See Beyond the Old Thoughts

     Once again the legalization of ferrets is brought up along with the old song of why they are illegal in California in the first place. While the reason may have been valid when the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) put it into place those reasons are no longer valid.

     If California were to legalize ferrets and give amnesty to those already living in California the state would benefit in a number of ways. One of which could be the registration and licensing of the nearly one million ferrets living as outlaws in California. The other would be from the revenue that could be produced by sanctioned ferret shows.

     It was pointed out in the The Orange County Register online paper’s comment section by some people that ferrets are legal in almost every state except Hawaii that was called a hold out state. What most of these people don’t realize the reason Hawaii won’t legalize ferrets is because of the native birds that ferrets could decimate like they did in New Zealand.

     It was pointed out that most ferrets aren’t sold intact so they can’t reproduce but there is a flaw with that statement in that some are sold ready to breed and that is what needs to be addressed before the law can be fully repealed. In Pennsylvania you must have a license to breed ferrets. If you don’t have that license you are not allowed to own a “whole” ferret.

     It is also true that ferrets have lost most of their survival instincts but they still have the urge to eat and will kill small rodents which is what they were bred for in the first place. As to the destruction of plant life we as human beings do more damage by hiking outdoor. Finding water isn’t really that hard a ferret only needs a few drops here and there when they are on a quest. What will kill a ferret if he/she got loose would be the heat. Ferrets prefer a nice temperature of around 65 degrees any hotter and they can suffer from heat stroke in a matter of minutes.

     Another commenter stated that ferrets are pretty fragile creatures. Yes in some instances they can be easily broken but if you ask anyone that has owned a number of ferrets they will tell you that they are also very agile and can survive a lot more than they are given credit for. The fragility comes from the number of diseases that can kill a ferret and their reactions to different vaccines.

     Another thing to consider before condemning the CDFG about their rules/laws is that the law has been on the books for a long time and the current officials may not agree with it any longer but can’t change the rules without a study and what right minded official is going to suggest a study about releasing X number of ferrets into the wild to see if the fears are correct? There are too many organizations out there that would object.

     I must remind you I am from California and now a ferret owner. When I lived in California I didn’t know what a ferret was besides those that were in movies. Now that I live Pennsylvania and have had the opportunity to own these fascinating creatures I would never move back to California unless they did legalize ferrets but I also understand how politics work.

     A non-profit group called California Domestic Ferret Education Alliance (CDFEA) is working to educate people about ferrets. Education is needed as one commenter called a ferret’s offspring “pups” when they are called kits. The same as when a fox has her babies.

     It was also brought up about ferrets attacking children. Pet ownership is a responsibility no matter what animal you have. Ferrets are highly inquisitive and will check out anything that squeaks this includes infants and small children. If a ferret likes what it has found it will try to take it back to his/her hiding spot and this involves using his/her mouth.

     It is not recommended that families with small children have ferrets for this very reason. If children are visiting a home where ferrets live then the ferret owner should either put the ferret in his/her cage for the duration or place them in a room with a door away from the child. While most owners will bristle at me for saying confine their fur babies in their own home they might think about the result if their ferret bit a child. The ferret will always loose to a needle.

     It may be the CDFG vs.  ferrets for now with those rallying to get the law repelled but both sides need to sit down face to face and calmly talk out their beliefs and how to either disprove or prove them. The law has been on the books for how long? That answer has never been published in any of the articles I have read. The answer is 1933 according to Golden State Ferret Society.

     So for seventy-seven years ferrets have been on the banned list isn't it time to re-evaluate the reasons?

     All comments, reactions, thoughts, links to other information about ferrets, and recommendations are welcomed and appreciated.

     This post is in response to an article dated May 20 2010 in The Orange County Register’s online paper.

Jo

The Ferret and Heartworms

Warning: Graphic Pictures Ahead

     Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and we think about the loved ones in our lives. This includes our fur children or in some cases feathered, or scaled.

     We want to think we are giving them all the love they need. This includes taking them to the vet for annual check ups or when they get sick or injured.

     We let ourselves think that only certain species get specific things, as only canines get heartworms. When the fact is that cats, ferrets, and in extremely rare cases humans can get this parasite.

     Just how does our beloved pet get this life-threatening infection? It starts with the bite of a mosquito. All this annoying little insect has to do is suck the blood of an infected animal taking several of the young heartworms known as microfilariae into its system where they become infective larvae usually within two weeks. It is these larvae that are passed into another animal by the mosquito taking another blood meal. This process takes approximately six months.

     The larvae travel through the host’s body for about three months some will mature into immature worms in the blood vessels of the lungs.

     Another three months will see this worms mature into their adult form where the will lodge themselves in the right side of the heart reducing its ability to pump blood effectively. This can lead to heart murmurs, fluid in the heart and lungs. 

     In five to seven months after the infection the adult worms mate and create new microfilariae that can cause the pet’s immune system to react which can cause damage to other organs and keeps the cycle continuing with another mosquito bite.

     Detecting heartworms in any pet can be done using a test called an IDEXX® snap test. This tests for several antigens (1) in the blood one of which is heartworms. It measures the protein on the skin of the adult female heartworm. If only male heartworms are present in the bloodstream, the test will show a false negative. Other tests that maybe included are x-rays, a complete blood count (CBC), and in some cases, an ultrasound of the heart.

     Dogs and cats may show signs of heartworms when they have 10 to 60 of them but it can take only one or two to kill a ferret. We, as pet owners, must be continuously learning about what can affect our small fur babies.

     Heartworms are under diagnosed in ferrets because not all vets are knowledgeable about ferrets or that they are susceptible to getting heartworms. The problem is not readily recognized because most ferrets that die are not necropsied (2)

     Prevention is the key to keeping our pets free of these parasites. While the options are limited, there are two. One is ProHeart® an injectable heartworm preventable that is given every six month.

     ProHeart® is marketed and approved as a preventive for dogs but the Minor Species Act of 2004(3) allows for the use in exotics. The other recommended preventative is Advantage Multi® the makers Bayer™ have tested it in ferrets and found it to be a safe and effective treatment.

     Before starting any treatment, it is wise to have your fur children tested for any evidence that they may have been infective and discuss a course of treatment with your vet.

Jo

(1) Antigens: enzymes, toxins, or other substances, usually high in molecule weight, to which the body reacts by producing antibodies.

(2) Necropsied: Having the animal’s dead body examined.

(3) Minor Species Act of 2004

For more information you can go to the American Heartworm Society

I would like to thank,

Dr. Cottrell from West End Animal Hospital, FL for the use of the heartworm pictures and answering my questions.

Janet Tobiassen, DVM http://vetmedicine.about.com

Vet Loving Pets HB, DMV http://www.acchb.com

Pet Bill in Congress!!!

     There is a bill sitting in Congress right now that would allow pet owners to take a tax deduction for their pet up to $3500. A pet owner would have to meet the criteria for his/her pet. Meaning they have ownership and it is alive. This deduction would be for the health care costs of the pet.

     It is called Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) act. Bill number H.R. 3501. If passed it would be in effect by December 31 2009 meaning that the tax year 2010 pets could be claimed on the 2010 tax forms.

     This bill is designed to promote responsible pet care. It does not apply to the acquisition of a pet but for the medical care of one’s pet. Contact your local representative and tell them you want this bill passed for all the pet owners in the United States.

 

Jo