It is past time ferrets were legal in California!

Legalizing pet ferrets affects hundreds of thousands of Californians, even though many citizens may be unfamiliar with the State’s 77-year-old ferret ban. The California Veterinary Medical Association has long agreed that pet ferrets should be legal. State legislators agreed six years ago. But the Governor blocked ferret legalization, when he vetoed the Ferret Amnesty Bill (9/30/2004). Schwarzenegger said: “I love ferrets. I co-starred with a ferret in Kindergarten Cop. However, this bill is too bureaucratic and it legalizes ferrets prior to conducting an environmental impact report.”

The requested Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is nearly complete, and the evidence clear. Leading SSU researcher, G. O. Graening PhD, reports: “None of the questionnaires, [which were sent to] every wildlife agency, health department, and agricultural department in the 50 US states and Canadian Provinces, received to date have documented the establishment of any feral breeding populations, or negative interactions with wildlife, or significant impacts on human health or safety.”

The political climate surrounding ferret legalization puts the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) at center stage. The DFG has gone to great lengths to resist ferret legalization, by identifying domestic ferrets as “wild animals.” That’s like saying your Yorkie dog is dangerous because his origins trace back to the wolf family.

The DFG has gone so far as to invent a subgroup of ferrets that do not even exist, which they call: “Free-roaming domestic ferrets.” According to the DFG, these “free-roaming domestic ferrets” are dangerous to poultry and infants . However, no “free-ranging domestic ferrets” have ever been documented, as confirmed by SSU’s current findings. This false logic has been perpetuated by the DFG since 1933.

Let’s face facts too: Ferrets live in the homes of over 100,000 Californians. California’s vets are allowed by law to treat pet ferrets. However, the climate of illegality undermines access to proper care.

Castro Valley Vet Rene' C. Gandolfi said: “I have been treating ferrets here in California for over twenty years. In that time I’ve seen all sorts of problems resulting from the ban on ownership.” Ferret owners delay treatment or must travel vast distances to get veterinary help, according to Gandolfi. “I’ve seen pet owners traveling hundreds of miles to find a veterinarian who was willing to see them. In a couple of severe emergency cases , ferret owners had to make hour long trips to see us because they couldn’t be seen at a vet closer to home. That’s like making a human drive to Sacramento to get to the ER after having a heart attack in San Francisco.”
Gandolfi explains why the CVMA backs ferret legalization: “It is bad medicine and bad public health policy to have a pet species that isn’t receiving regular and competent veterinary care.”
Gandolfi dismissed suggestions that ferrets are dangerous to humans: “For over two decades we have been providing veterinary medical and surgical services for ferret owners. I have yet to meet a ferret that I felt posed a significant danger to any humans who might handle it. I have often told my staff that I am more concerned about being bitten by a hamster than by a ferret.” Gandolfi explained that the dangers he sees are not due to ferrets, but to the fearful and unsafe legal climate. Ferret owners are “constantly worried that their cherished companion will be confiscated.”

Inadequate access to medical care stands at odds with the reality of widespread ferret ownership in California. A leading pet industry trade group confirms that 27% of the nation’s ferret supplies are purchased in California.

Owning ferrets is legal in 48 other states. Veterinarians, scientists, elected officials and pet owners have effectively advocated for legalizing ferret ownership. The Governor’s questions have been answered by the EIR. Encourage the Governor and your representatives to support the Ferret Amnesty Bill, and enable sound scientific reason to trump politics once and for all in the ferret debate. Ferret owners have waited long enough: its past time to overturn the 1933 ferret ban.

It is past time ferrets were legal in California!

Should I Keep This Blog?

Between Facebook and Twitter, blogging seems kind of outdated. But there are things going on and perhaps I should keep this blog post active.

More news on the EIR, or what to do with the EIR was discovered yesterday. I hate to tease but basically what we've discovered is that the only way to legalize ferrets is through the legislature. It is so hard to get things done in California - no wonder we are a mess.

Full details will be in Sunday's CLIFFNotes - the subscription (free, by the way) is at http://www.ferretsanon.com/CLIFFNotesSignUp.php

We Don't Get A Lot Done On Saturday Mornings

Saturday mornings are kind of leisurely. I put the laundry away, clean the aquarium and I do it all with the help of my dog Shorty (the Corgi) and ferrets Fausto and Quito.

The ferrets live downstairs and I feel bad that they are isolated most of the time. But Saturday mornings I take my time and appreciate their help. Of course it takes a lot longer that way.

Pictured on the couch is my very shy dog Blue (she just got a Summer haircut) who just hopes the ferrets will leave her alone.

Thank God It's Friday

Only a few days things seemed discouraging. Well, they still are but how can anyone be gloomy when this photo arrives in your inbox?

That's my Fausto, fat, healthy and happy. This was a photo by Jamie K done last week at our calendar ferret shoot. The best ferret event I've ever been to. Too bad so many people missed it. I can't wait to see the other photos.

I'm also happy to report that Quito is doing well. He hasn't been on duck soup for a few days now. I actually saw him eat more than one kibble. (He had a hairball removed a couple of weeks ago.)

Any my Golden Retriever Bear seems to be doing better. We spent $1500 on vet bills for him two months ago but never got a diagnosis. He started to limp again. There is no money for vets but I gave him some metacam and he is back to his old self. I wish they made metacam for people.

And then there is the California EDD. Somewhere in a dark ivory tower there are people plotting how to make other's lives miserable. They sent me a notice that my claim has been denied. A lot of text, and then at the bottom of the page is a little check box - "this doesn't effect continued claims." So basically they are denying a claim I didn't make and I can continue to be one of California's long term unemployed.

The state does handle all its issues the way it handles the ferret issue and that is why we are up that creek without a paddle.

A Big Thank You to Harley D - And I Know Who You Are

A check made out to me arrived at the Ferrets Anonymous (San Diego PO Box) with a note. "You are always passing on other's dilemmas... this is for Quito."

Quito had a hairball and required surgery. As I mark one year of unemployment, two months until we are foreclosed upon, unemployment insurance delayed because I declared $254 of self-employment... it was a boost.

The letter was from Harley, Phoebe and Stella.

Here's Haley's baby photo, so cute I kept it (above). I know Haley had his own surgery, too (I'm on Twitter)

I did manage to get Quito's surgery done on credit. It will be paid off shortly. Thank you Dr Jenkins and Crew!

Saturday mornings is my time to do laundry. Quito, Fausto and my corgi Shorty like to help. It takes a lot longer to get things done. But it was nice having Quito participate in the effort. I like having him be himself. Popping out of a drawer in the laundry room he nearly gave me a heart attack - so welcome back Quito.

But really things aren't so bad at my house. We do have the funds in the bank for that evil National City Mortgage. We've learned that loan modification is a fraud. It was explained to us that Obama is covering the bank's loans - not the borrowers, so mortgage companies don't have much reason to make any deals.

I thought I was fired for being gay at my last company. But they have since fired everyone over 45 - so I would have been fired shortly thereafter anyway.

I'm trying to launch my own company. I'd much rather have a regular pay check, those were the days! But I think of all the horrible bosses I've had (and I could write a book) and perhaps this is the best case.

But life is so full of stress. Now our Golden Retriever Bear is limping again. When we got Bear nearly six years ago I kept hearing horror stories of this breed dying from bone cancer. Even the dog in "Air Bud" died from bone cancer that year. Perhaps it is my unreasonable fear but I'd rather be able to order all the tests - though there isn't much one can do if it came out positive.

God these pets are expensive. The next pet in this house is getting pet insurance. But no new pets until things get financially resolved.

Then it is my fantasy to go to Las Vegas and get two baby ferrets! How fun!

Ferrets Are For Worrying

We stole the slogan "Ferrets Are More Fun" several years ago and created new artwork. Truth be told, ferrets are more worry would be a more accurate slogan.

I only have two ferrets. These are really bad economic times, I'm scared to death of another vet bill.

Fausto has had heliobactor infections three times. Today he's back to his fat self.

But I picked up Quito the other day and noticed how skinny he is. By nature he is a skinny ferret, but this was an unhealthy skinny.

When I was medicating Fausto, hiding his medicine in duck soup, Quito always wanted some. So I made an unmedicated batch for Quito.

Quito apparently decided he didn't want to eat regular ferret food anymore.

I considered switching them from Marshall Pet Products brand to the Totally Ferret turkey brand, so they have a mix of both foods. I can't tell which they prefer, but Fausto is doing well on it.

But Quito will only eat the Marshall's brand of duck soup. So I'm putting down as much as I can. And he eats it like white trash at the Home Town Buffet. I've put a little weight on him.

He still has a lot of energy - but I worry.