I just sent this out, has some good points for people when they contact their representative.
Hi Gail –
Thank you for taking my call and your hospitality. Boy there is a lot of information below! So I better ask at the top – we are requesting a meeting with Assemblyman Jones on the ferret issue. The 77th Assembly District is probably one of the top three in terms of the ferret population.
Briefly, we’ve been fighting the ferret ban for twenty years. In 2000 the Fish and Game Commission said we needed an EIR before they would even consider the issue.
As an aside, it is interesting the city of San Diego demanded an EIR from Walmart super centers as a way to keep those giant Walmarts out of San Diego.
In September our preliminary EIR was completed. It is online at http://ferretsanon.com/EIR/Final_Report.pdf The Fish and Game Commission has not yet reacted to it, except for President Jim Kellogg saying ferret owners are breaking the law and need to be punished. (we’re putting that on YouTube.)
Another note – I just got a phone call from a man who bought his girl friend two ferrets. The girl friend is in a nasty child custody dispute. The ex already complained about their dog, now they have to get the ferrets out of the house.
The report basically discusses the arguments against ferret legalization:
• Ferrets Will Go Feral
All of the ideal conditions for establishment of a feral ferret population have not yet been met in California: a moderate climate, a superabundance of preferred prey, a community devoid of competitors and predators, and repeated introductions of large founder populations. (page 63)
• Ferrets As a Treat to Agriculture
The literature documents that ferrets may have impacted European poultry production, especially in the late 19th and early 20th century. The literature is largely devoid of any instances of ferrets impacting agricultural resources in the USA. USA has, for the most part, phased out household poultry and egg production and now relies almost exclusively on commercial facilities (confined animal feeding operations); these facilities may be better protected from predators than traditional domestic hen houses and coops. Questionnaires of agricultural departments in the USA has not revealed any major opposition to ferrets; where agricultural agency personnel have responded negatively to ferret legalization, their concerns focused on the risk of ferrets biting humans or on the risk of ferrets establishing feral breeding populations, and not on the impact of agricultural resources. This issue may not need to be analyzed further in the EIR. (page 95)
• Public Health Issues
The medical community and various State agencies have reversed their stance on rabies issues pertaining to ferrets, from emphatic statements in the 20th century that ferrets are not appropriate pets because of their proclivity to bite and the absence of effective vaccines, to neutral statements in the 21st century that ferrets should receive rabies vaccinations like other household pets. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that currently, at least in the USA, rabies is a rare disease and is relegated largely to non-pet vectors. The vaccination of ferrets for rabies (and distemper) could be made mandatory, regardless of whether ferret ownership is legal or illegal in California. Ferrets sold after about 12 weeks of age should be vaccinated before sale. For those sold before 12 weeks of age, the new owner could be required to show proof of rabies vaccination by a certain time, such as 13 weeks of age. Every effort should be made to prevent ferrets from escaping confinement; any stray or feral ferret captured could be mandatorily held in quarantine until it is indicated that they are free of rabies. Public education and outreach should also be implemented. Provided that effective mitigation measures are incorporated into a legalization action, this potential impact upon human health could be reduced to a less-than significant level. This issue may not need to be analyzed further in the EIR. (page 100)
The Economic Impacts of the ferret ban
We know from the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council that Californians spend $5,500,000 on ferrets annually which means the state collects about $400,000 each year in sales tax revenue. How much more would be spent if ferrets were legal? I don’t think there is any accurate way to answer the question.
But – we also know that 70 to 80% of the ferrets sold in Nevada, Arizona and Oregon are intended for the California Market.
We know that Marshall Ferrets sells about 150,000 ferrets annually and they produce 70% of the ferrets in this country (back yard breeding is pretty limited for ferrets, most states where they are legal require them to be sold sterilized, and ferrets have unusually husbandry – both male and female must be in season, and intact ferrets smell too bad to be household pets)
What We Know
150,000 Marshall Ferret Production
70% Marshall Share of the Pet Ferret Market
195,000 Total Ferret Production in the USA
Californians buy 27% of the nation's ferret supplies
52,650 27% of annual ferrets sold in the USA
26,325 Reduce by half to be conservative
$ 150 Average Retail Price of a ferret
$ 3,948,750 Total retail value of ferrets sold going to California
$ 306,028.13 California sales tax at 7.75%
$ 306,028.13 Does not include cost of goods sold; cages, food, bedding, toys, etc which can be 1 to 2 x the cost of the ferret
$ 612,056.26 Lost sales tax revenue
Also, does not include lost revenue to the veterinarians. And because people are afraid to take their ferrets to the vet, vets who treat ferrets often times charge considerably more.
We’re hoping this show of grassroots support will convince him to do it. We were able to borrow this ferret costume and he or she will be holding a sign:
