Why Are Ferrets Illegal in California?
Raise a Paw
Wowsers, check out that leaping ferret!
Some of you readers may know the joys of owning a pet ferret, but if you’re a law-abiding citizen in California, you cannot legally own a ferret. So why not? What’s the reason for this law?
It all started in 1933, when a law restricting the importation and possession of certain wild birds and animals, including domestic ferrets, was passed.
The main reasons that the ban on ferrets still stands, according to the Department of Fish and Game Ferret Fact Sheet (March 25, 1994), are:
- Ferrets are wild animals that may bite or attack.
- Ferrets may be a rabies danger.
- Escaped pet ferrets will form feral packs (as they did in New Zealand) and threaten native wildlife.
It’s a fact that some Californians own ferrets, in spite of the law (We do not encourage this, just stating the facts, ma’am), and others are just hoping that the law gets overturned — both groups feel like the reasons are outdated and ridiculous. Groups like Legalize Ferrets explain that because ferrets are exclusively indoor pets, the chances of them being able to survive on their own for more than a few days in the wild are slim. They also point out that almost all ferrets that are sold are spayed and neutered, so they would not be able to breed and start feral colonies, if they were to survive. While ferrets can be nip-prone creatures, proper training from a young age can teach ferrets not to bite. Pro-ferret groups point out that there are more cases of dog bites in the U.S., and that ferret bites are less serious than other animals’ bites. Finally, they also encourage that ferrets owners take their pets to the vet for annual check-ups and rabies vaccinations.
So what do you think? Should California legalize ferrets?
Image: Guy Haimovitch
22 Responses to “Why Are Ferrets Illegal in California?
Raise a Paw”
Leave a Reply
I can see both sides of the law.I too have ferrets(they are legal here in Colorado)and they see a vet on a regular basis however, they do not vaccinate against rabies. The rabies vaccine is not proven to be effective in ferrets. The vaccine they use is for cats. The same holds true for wolves and wolf hybrids. They too(hybrids) are legal here, and they are vaccinated against rabies(for dogs). However, once again, it has not been proven to be effective in hybrids. Therefore, if either of these pets bite someone, the only alternative is euthanasia to prove otherwise. It may be a high price to pay for these animals we keep as pets.
Kym, thanks for the feedback. I did read that the rabies vaccine wasnt proven to be effective on ferrets, but I didnt know the story behind it, so Im glad you chimed in.
There is a proven Rabies vaccine for ferrets. Merial has tested and proven that vaccine works on ferrets after many test trials.
# IMRAB 3 TF (thimerosal-free formulation) ” provides three years of rabies protection for dogs and cats and one year for ferrets.
http://imrab.us.merial.com/imrab/index.shtml
Also an Environmental Impact report is almost complete and so far no feral ferrets have been found any any of the states where ferrets are legal let alone states that have similar climates as California.
The fact the ferrets are still illegal in California is purely a political issue and special interest groups funneling money to the state to keep them illegal
no it should not be a legal their makeing up lies about them its not true do a test and see if it true bt its not so stop lieing
@ jade, if you’re going to make a post, please do a spell check.
Other than that, I have a 1 1/2 year old ferret that I had bought in Nevada. He is neutered and healthy and was 6 weeks old when I bought him. I don’t see why ferrets are such bad animals. I play rough with him and I don’t mind him nipping me at all, it’s just the way they are so I don’t bother training him. There are children younger than 5 years old in my household, and he knows better than to bite them, so I never had a problem with my ferret and the children. They always tug at his tail and hold him the wrong way, but the most he’ll do is try to escape from them and might scratch them in the process of doing so, but it is better than the dogs we have (chihuahuas) because when they get irritated with the children, they’ll bite them, so why are ferrets legal? They will cause less harm than other animals, cats can scratch and give a higher risk of infection than ferrets do and puncture the skin deeper, and as far as I can see, ferrets are VERY curious animals, which exposes them to many harmful things. Since ferrets have a strict meat based diet, they will die if left in the wild. My ferret tends to be attracted to fruits and sweets, which is very harmful to their digestive systems. If I had left him in the park near my house I’m prett sure he wouldn’t survive or in any case, bump into another ferret and reproduce since he’s neutered. Illegalizing ferrets is one of the most ludicrous laws and should be removed. Ferrets can be sweet animals, and alot more people need to see that.
Hey, my friend is trying to get a ferret in California, and I currently have one in Cali. I, until reading a few forums, believed that they were legal if spaded/neutered my dad was my informant. I got mine from my dad’s friend, I don’t know where she got him (I’ll find out). I have had him about a year and a half, and it has been an awesome pet from the beginning. He was was full grown when I got him but grew to like me quick enough I also didn’t know that fruits and sweets were bad for him, though I don’t feed him lots. I feed him a dry food, like cat food I guess but for ferrets, he enjoys it. He also gets a ferret treat every time he rolls over and is put away. Well thats my story now my question. Should my friend buy a ferret or two from another state and drive them back home or would the border confiscate them? By the way I have taken mine to a LOCAL vet and they didn’t say anything about it, whats up with that?
Thx for the help.
Hi Saul. We at Pawesome do not encourage any of our readers to break the law. But the reality is, there are already many people who own ferrets in California and veterinarians are there to treat animals in need, legal or not. Thanks for writing and hope you and your ferret are healthy and happy.
Â
whats odd they sell ferret food and ferret accesories here in CA
whats odd they sell ferret food and ferret accesories here in CA
i think that ferrets are very loving creatures every ferret that ive ever met has been extremely loving and caring towards children so i think everything people are saying about ferrets are lies they willl only be mean if you raise them that way i believe that ferrets should be legal in california period! they are not mean the owner that raised them to be mean are to blame not the animals
i think that ferrets are very loving creatures every ferret that ive ever met has been extremely loving and caring towards children so i think everything people are saying about ferrets are lies they willl only be mean if you raise them that way i believe that ferrets should be legal in california period! they are not mean the owner that raised them to be mean are to blame not the animals
I honestly think Ferrets being illegal is stupid. I mean who are they to say it will over populate and form packs, rabies blahblahblah that is with ALL ANIMALS ?? not just Ferrets. People have Ferrets in other countrys/ states do you ever hear ” Well today a 5 year old got mauled by a ferret?” You don’t because that’s pitbulls who are raised by irreasponsible owners. I don’t see why Ferrets are still illegal, it’s annoying.
excuse me. But if you let her baby lie on the floor while your ferret running around on the floor, then you are also fucking stupid. omg.
Children and ferrets major just not together, you put surely not a mastiff puppy with a child aged two years? hmmm …. people are so stupid too often! Think, however, and do not banish everything we enjoy ..
Thus we have a brain to use it to think, the stupid people should not ruin it for all of us. ferrets are a wonderful pet. I myself have 5 and am happy to have them, though they can bite, and although they may become ill. Mon vaccinate them and watch over and care for them, just as with dogs and cats? hmmm … When will they banishes dogs and cats??
Living the way in Denmark, where fortunately we still need them:) and they also dare to make them illegal .. So hello .. where is the free world we “live” in?
All you need to realize is this: Ferrets are legal in every state that borders California. If ferrets were going feral, and were living in the wild, they’d be here by now, PERIOD!
Ferrets don’t go feral in the US for many different factors. The ferrets in New Zealand were not ferrets escaped as pets, they were polecat x ferret hybrids released in droves to stem the rabbit population there. Also, hedgehogs have been proven to do the MOST damage to New Zealand wildlife, but has been pinned on the polecat ferret hybrids.
Ferret’s should be treated like other
animals.Ferret’s are like any other
animal like a dog or a cat!
My ferret WON’T eat meat. Period. I tried vet appoved starvation diet. Nope
I spent a bag full of money at the vet, clinic pet hotel, sorry, her Iams kitten
is all she will eat, all fruit, most sweets, cheese puffs, plain vanilla cake, oh,
by the way, her name is ”vanilla” Ive read fruit & veggies are harmful, due to
the delicate digestive system, her treat is a minced soft pear.
If ya can give me some advise, please………helochef at hotmail,
I await some feedback, no pun intended………………
this is bs they should be legal
They are against the law in CA period. If you don’t like the law don’t have a ferret or leave the state. There is a legitimate reason for the ban so accept it.
If you don’t like it then leave?
Are you kidding?
Did you even read the article?
People tend to lose sight that the government works FOR the people, not the other way around. If you don’t like the law, CHANGE it, don’t just accept it.
There isn’t a legitimate reason for the ban (to err on the side of caution). There used to be, but now we have more information and the old reasons are no longer applicable.
1. They might form feral colonies and damage our natural ecology
Wrong. The problem in New Zealand were caused because they PURPOSELY introduced wild ferret/pole cat hybrids in vast numbers to help curb the rabbit population. Ferrets bought as pets are domesticated and cannot survive in the wild on their own. Pet ferrets are often fixed before they are sold, so even if a ferret did manage to survive more than a few days in the wild it couldn’t breed. Considering that there are reports that nearly a quarter of all ferret food that is bought is shipped to California, if there were really a risk of feral colonies, we’d already be suffering their ill effects. Considering that ferrets are strictly indoor pets, indoor/outdoor pet cats do more damage to the local wildlife.
2. They might spread rabies
There used to not be a vaccine that was proven to prevent rabies in ferrets, but recent discoveries have led to the development of a rabies vaccine that is effecting in ferrets. It has to be given every year (as opposed to every 3 years are with dogs and cats) but they do not pose any more of a rabies risk than your pet dog.
3. They are wild animals and might bite
Actually, only black-footed ferrets are still wild (and are so scarce that conservation groups have been working to protect them and reintroduce more into the wild) and are not sold as pets. Pet ferrets are no more wild animals than my golden retriever. Yes, as babies, they do have a tendency to nip, just like puppies. However, like a dog, with proper training they learn not to nip. Also, just like any other pet, you should not leave a child unattended with a ferret. You should also not leave a child unattended with a dog or a cat. That, however, is an issue of improper parenting, not an issue for the department of fish and game.
If you’re not terribly opposed to doing some research, G. O. Graening, PhD, MSE has recently prepared an environmental impact report on the impact of the legalization of ferrets on human health and safety and environmental impact.
http://www.legalizeferrets.org/pdf/EIR_Legalize_Ferrets.pdf
This article also does a good job of explaining both sides of the argument, as well as why people who have no intention of owning a ferret should care about the legalization of ferrets in California.
http://www.sfgate.com/pets/yourwholepet/article/Will-California-s-Ferrets-Ever-Get-to-Come-in-2495003.php
Joanna, if you would like to correct other people on their spelling habits perhaps you should take an English grammar class. You have put commas where periods should have been, misused, and left out words needed for your sentences to be correct.
“Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
i think they should be leaglle in cali were i live in washington state they are leaglle and i own to i think the people that made this law should play with some well behaved ferrets anf then see if they change there minds haha!
First I think ferrets should be legal 1. Because it’s not like they are the only animals that have a possibility to receive Rabies. 2. Because, we are the people not them if we didn’t mind ferrets biting, Let them bite! It’s not the congress that’s getting bitten (Although that should happen!) it’s us, if we don’t mind the dangers than they should let us have our Ferrets back!!!!!