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The email newsletter of LegalizeFerrets.org View this email in your browser Vol 12 No 43, October 23rd, 2016

<<First Name>> <<Last Name>> <<Custom1>> <<Custom2>> Do we have your address on file? Is it right?



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*|HTML:MMERGE13|* Based on what happend at this week's Fish and Game Commission meeting I'd really like to make sure I have people's addresses correct in case we mail out peitions or other materials.



Please let me know if I have it wrong by emailing me at CLIFFNotes@legalizeferrets.org Fish and Game Commission Kills Petition to Legalize Ferrets The Fish and Game Commission voted very quickly to adopt staff’s recommendation and deny our petition to remove ferrets from the prohibited species list.



There were two reasons for the recommendation to deny. As stated in their report:



Any change to the regulation would require coordination with CDFA (California Department of Food and Agriculture) and the proposed action would effectively eliminate the Commission’s authority to regulate ferrets, with the exception of escaped individuals to the extent those individuals could be shown to have reverted to a wild state.



Because ferrets are admittedly domestic animals.



Secondly, right from the environmental report we provided them:



Regarding potential impacts to wildlife populations, the report finds that while the establishment of feral colonies is improbable, there is a possibility that escaped ferrets might do significant damage to wildlife, such as ground-nesting birds or listed species, during a period up to a few weeks of survival.



We merely hoped the Commission would grant further consideration so the issue could be studied further and these legitimate concerns could be investigated. We offered to pay for additional study.



Five people spoke in favor of our position and one person, Mark Hennelly, Vice President of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy for the California Waterfowl Association spoke of the danger of introducing or legalizing exotic species in California, that New Zealand has a severe problem with ferrets (which aren’t ferrets, but polecat or polecat-ferret hybrids) and feral populations of ferrets in England.



(Is it true he told someone his daughter wants a ferret?)



Where do we go from here?



My feeling is to still proceed with the Fish and Game Commission. Do they have the authority to regulate a domestic animal? (Actually I'll have an email to Erin Chappel, their wildlife researcher who has been very pleasant and helpful. So expect her response next week.)



We can easily refute what Mr. Hennelly told them. But we need to deal with the issue of ferrets and ground nesting birds. They haven’t been a problem anywhere else – let’s gather up the info and present more data.



We also have an election coming up and new legislators. We haven’t had any success with legislators for ten years. But we did make new friends up there who said they would help.



So Fish and Game Commission – we’ll be back!



To see a video of the dirty deed click here then advance to 1.24 2017 Legalize Ferrets Calendar View and order here Prices start at $12 and go down from there. We Need Some Cute Faces Here: In Conclusion We ain't going anywhere.



While it was very discouraging at the Fish and Game Commission - all is not lost. Life is never more fun than when you're the underdog competing against the giants.

H Ross Perot Consider what we have going for us:



The Fish and Game Commission is acting like we matter; they didn't mention any of the far out stories of the past, literally - ferrets eating children. Here is that report if you don't believe me. All they have is ground nesting birds and it appears a certain discomfort in regulating a domestic animal.



They were no doubt unfair, but they are trying to act, or least appear like they have California's best interest at heart. Let's put the spotlight on them, not in a hostile or rude way. Ferrets are domestic, they haven't gone feral anywhere else and we deserve a hearing. We're going to research ground nesting birds and send them the data.



I also want to deal with the California Waterfowl Association. Let's put the spotlight on them and let the whole world know they are a big part of the reason ferrets aren't legal.



Our email list and fundraising grew a lot while we had that petition moving forward. I hope people will continue to support us. I want more Facebook ads going up - I want everyone to see the video, especially the part with Mark Hennelly.



We have a lot going for us if we don't give up. I still think we are not that far away from success. If nothing else, expect an exciting ride in the weeks and month ahead.



Pat Wright

CLIFFNotes@legalizeferrets.org

619-303-0645