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My Pet World: How to Lure a Social Eater Back to the Bowl

By Steve Dale, Tribune Media Services on

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Q: I enjoy reading your columns. That said, there's always a nagging question about what defines a companion animal. I was owned by domestic European ferrets for years. The hysteria and downright lies about pet ferrets are still circulating. What is your position regarding ferrets as a companion animal/pet? -- L.F., Cyberspace

A: Domestic ferrets are hardly new on the pet scene; they've been around for thousands of years. Hysteria? Not so much. Politics? Yes.

Domestic ferrets are legalized without fanfare in every state except Hawaii and California. Due to the fragile (and damaged) ecosystem in the Hawaiian Islands, I can at least understand the concern. California is the only other state that bans ferrets as pets. It's ironic, because when the ferret craze began (more than 25 years ago), Californians were among the most eager ferret owners. Even today, it's likely the state with the most pet ferrets -- despite the ban. But sometimes ferrets are confiscated in the name of the law.

The official explanation for the California ferret ban has nothing to do with their appropriateness as a pet. Officials of the California Fish and Game Commission suggest that ferrets will somehow get loose and run amuck, reproduce, create feral colonies, destroy wildlife and raid barns.

That explanation is absolutely bogus. For ferrets purchased spay/neutered, reproducing would be quite the trick. Experts suggest that domestic ferrets are less able to cope with being outdoors than cats are. Ill-equipped to hunt, most ferrets left outdoors would starve to death or get hit by cars. In parts of California, weather conditions would do them in.

 

From rabbits to dogs, not all households are appropriate for all kinds of pets. Ferrets are perfectly suitable for owners who have a sense of humor (ferrets are in constant party mode) and are willing to create ferret-safe places for when they are out of the cage (under adult supervision), as these inquisitive little guys can get into small spaces. There isn't a state in America with a feral ferret problem, or a problem with ferrets attacking chickens.

Clearly, the only real obstacle to legalizing ferrets in California is the California Fish and Game Commission, which has made its determination about ferrets without considering facts.

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Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve's website is www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." He's also a contributing editor to USA Weekend.


(c) 2012 DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

 

 

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