In the state of California, strict laws govern pet ownership. Some animals are banned as pets because they aren’t meant to be domesticated, others are dangerous to California’s ecosystem. It's considered a misdemeanor, punishable by a $1,000 fine or 6 months in jail. But a few states (and countries) are slow to accept that ferrets are domestic animals. Pat Wright, who was behind this initiative effort, said that his group was unable to collect enough signatures to put this initiative on the ballot. In California, ferrets are illegal. Ferrets have been illegal in California for much too long for too many idiotic reasons. In some places, you will be required to get a license. Ferrets and other wildlife, including sugar gliders and hedgehogs, are still illegal to import, transport, or possess in California without a … The Fish and Game Commission gets around that by mis-classifying ferrets as wild, or by saying they have not been determined to be domestic in the state of California. From www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/species/nuis_exo/ferret/:“In California, domestic ferrets are legal to import, transport, or possess only by permit. California is one of two states in the nation that prohibits possessing a ferret. We have asked the Commission to stop referring to them as wild animals without success. Ferrets are legal as pets almost everywhere. Posted by Richard on April 24, 2002. Funny thing is, there’s an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 ferrets in California, though illegal to own there, the state has the highest population of domesticated ferrets. Despite volumes of convincing evidence that ferrets are not the menace that California suggests, lawmakers still have not budged from their position based on erroneous facts and figures. A California Ferret Legalization Initiative (15-0034) did not make the November 8, 2016 ballot in California as an initiated state statute.. However, there are only a few exotic pets legal in California. Here are 10 California pet laws you need to know. Ferrets Should be Legal in California. FRESNO, Calif. – Ferrets are making criminals out of their owners in California, where keeping the furry animals as pets is against the law. The ferret (Mustela putorius furo) is the domesticated form of the European polecat, a mammal belonging to the same genus as the weasel, Mustela, in the family Mustelidae. In the minds of policymakers, all ferret organizations are connected. Call ferrets the “forbidden fruit” of pet ownership. The cause behind the ban which the government mentions is that they are a potent source of many diseases like rabies and also they are not native to California, therefore, they can have adverse effects on the ecosystem and the natural wildlife of California. Large Constrictor Snakes. Culver City Woman Trying To Make Ferrets Legal CA Pets - Culver City, CA - Owning a ferret in California can get you charged with a misdemeanor, up to six months in jail, or $1,000 in fines. I just find it amazing that they can put so much effort into worrying about what is basically a harmless animal. California has very strict laws about what types of animals homeowners can keep as pets. Why ferrets are illegal in California The main reason why ferrets are illegal in California is to Protect Agriculture and Wildlife. Are Ferrets Illegal in California? The United States Department of Agriculture classifies ferrets as domestic animals. Ferrets are illegal in California because the California Department of Fish and Game claims that if ferrets are let out into the wild, they would mate, multiply, become feral and could threaten native wildlife. Ferrets are illegal as pets in California. Some previous very good answers have been given hut I notice one that has been left out. The measure, upon voter approval, was designed to legalize the ownership of ferrets in California. Two states that prohibit ferrets as pets are California and Hawaii. if they are illegal, are there any STORES that sell them? California Ferrets are illegal in California except by special permit issued by the Dept. It is also believed that ferrets are a … Ferrets are illegal to own as pets in both California and Hawaii. Domestic Ferrets. The critters are legal as pets in … It is feared that ferrets will be turned loose and form their own colonies detrimental to the native population of certain animals. Since they aren’t fully domesticated animals there isn… Veterinary Care of Domestic Ferrets. In the United States, ferrets are illegal in California and Hawaii, and in New York City, New York. kaylee04caplinger I would like to buy 2 ferrets preferably but 1 will be okay i can pay up to 350 with a ca.. Many countries including, California, have a strict ban on keeping ferrets as pets. 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