Phoebie the Ferret says, "Dance The Day Away!"

Considering that ferrets sold in the US are sterilized - the possibility of self sustaining "colonies" is  non existent. Add to that the fact that the majority of ferrets are raised as kibble fed animals and have not awakened their hunting instincts- it is most likely that any loose ferrets will starve before they set up sustainable colonies.

With the majority of ferrets bred in the US coming from Marshall's and the fact that they are selectively bred for kit behavior - most ferrets go through life oblivious to the things that would harm them - like cats, dogs, birds of prey not to mention vehicles. So it isn't likely that domestic ferrets could or would be able to set up sustainable populations in the U.S.

For those who look to New Zealand and other places as examples of feral ferret populations - what they selectively choose to forget is that those ferrets were DELIBERATELY loosed to control rodent and rabbit populations and the ferrets loosed were INTACT and able to breed!

IF there WAS the possibility that feral populations of ferrets would become an issue, I am certain that IF it were in fact posible there would plenty of instances for proof in many other states - all one has to do is view the "lost ferret" pleas at animal shelters and local community stores!

Furthermore,considering that several new breeds of rat were introduced to this country via our forefather's ships, as well as horses and pigs and how these animals managed to develop large feral populations, ferrets too were brought over on those same ships and used on farms and in homes for rodent control - if there were the chance that loose ferrets could develop self sustaining populations detrimental to natural fauna- it would have happened by now and been well documented- BUT IT HAS NOT !

One more instance that proves politicians are blindly ignorant of what is right in front of them yet they are too drunk on their own power to listen to the public!

I hope California falls off the west coast! []

Cheers! Kim

Josie made me do it! I had to build this just for her! www.vanityferret.com []

Phoebie the Ferret says, "Dance The Day Away!"

As I said, I am very careful who knows I have ferrets, but I find more and more people in my area alone who have ferrets. I am babysiting my sons friends ferret right now. I travel to Nevada with my guys several times a year. Yes I am nervous, and I am very careful not to go over the speed limit so I won't get picked up. Police officers can take your ferret and destroy it, but most times they transfer the ferret out of state to a ferret shelter in Nevada, Oregon or Arizona. I have a friend, here in Calif, who adopted a ferret to a police officer, go figure. My good friend runs a ferret shelter in Nevada, and I do see ferrets come in from Calif. Since Hildy retired from the CDFA (calif domestic ferret assn), there is no real shelter for the ferrets to go to before they leave the state.

Yes, I agree the politicans are stupid, and for them it's not really important, but someday the law will change and my babies will be free. Part of me doesn't want them to be legal because then we'll get people who buy them on impluse and we'll have to start "offical" shelters, and they will be over run with ferrets. But I would dearly love to not have to hide my babies.

When my husband and I retire, we will be moving out of state because of the ferret laws, gun laws and the outragous tax laws. Calif is a great place to live. It's beautiful, it has oceans and mountains, great weather(usually). I am 30 mins from the ocean, and if I want to ski, it's 3 hours in the opposite direction, I love it. BUT, it's expensive to live here and has stupid laws.