How You Can Help
Californian's for Ferret Legalization Requests Your Help!

 

Note: The information below was posted on 2/12/03 and may no longer be current. Check the California Legalization links at the bottom of this page to find out the most current information.



As many of you know, California is the only state on the continent where ferrets are banned throughout the entire state. If you try to enter CA with a ferret, the ferret will be confiscated. If you drive into California there are checkpoints along all major highways into CA where cars are stopped and checked for various illegal items including ferrets! Many people think that there's nothing they can do to help legalize ferrets in California if they don't actually live in California, but that's not true.

The California chapters of the Audubon Society and Sierra Club have actively opposed bills to legalize ferrets in CA. The California chapters claim to be representing the wishes of their National Offices but neither of those organizations has ever opposed ferret legalization in any other State!

Californians for Ferret Legalization has asked that EVERYBODY (even people who do not live in CA) write letters to the National offices of the Sierra Club and Audubon Society asking them to STOP OPPOSING ferret legalization in California.

 

Why should YOU write a letter?

  1. California has been very supportive of our legalization efforts here in NYC.
    Several California legalization groups as well as countless individuals have provided us with legal guidance, donations, and have written letters on our behalf in the past.

  2. Legalizing ferrets in California can only help our legalization efforts in NYC.

  3. In order for us to win our battles here, you will eventually need to write a similar letter to NY City legislators.
    There may be times when we'll ask you to write letters to legislators here with very little advanced notice. If you've never written a letter asking a legislator to support ferret legalization, use THIS as your chance to practice and start preparing for future letter writing here. Write a letter to the California addresses, save a copy of your letter, and when the time comes to write letters for NYC all you'll have to do is modify it, change a few names, and send it off. The hardest part will already be done! Practice makes perfect!

Who to write to help California's legalization efforts


Jennifer Ferenstein, President
Sierra Club
85 Second St., Second Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105		 John Flicker, President
National Audubon Society
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

Need help writing a letter?

The following guidelines were written to help with writing letters to NYC Council Members, but you can use similar guidelines when writing to the two addresses above.

The most important thing is that you write! Don't worry about whether or not your letter is perfect or legitimate or official sounding enough. Use the guidelines if they're helpful. If they're not, don't! Remember, you're supposed to be a regular citizen voicing your opinion. You're not expected to be a Pulitzer prize winner!

  • Tips for writing letters *Remember, these tips were originally written to help with writing letters to NYC legislators. Change the wording where necessary when using them to write for CA. (FYI, if you want to refer to California's current bill to legalize ferrets, it's called "SB 89".)

More information on the California Sierra Club and Audubon Chapters' opposition to CA ferret legalization

The following are past updates from the Californians for Legalization and Ferrets Anonymous websites. Bear in mind that because these are past updates, the bill numbers cited and the addresses to write to may differ from California's current bill number and current addresses they've asked people to write to above.

California ferret legalization websites