We have an important update to share about our efforts to legalize ferrets in California. After navigating a challenging legal maze, we’ve had to make a significant adjustment to our strategy. Here’s what’s happening:

It turns out we cannot pursue both a lawsuit and an Administrative Procedures Act (APA) petition at the same time. While we initially paused our lawsuit to prioritize the APA, we’ve learned that even a paused lawsuit was enough for Fish and Game to dismiss our petition. They weren’t required to respond because the lawsuit was technically still active.

While frustrating, this is a critical “live and learn” moment for us. We’ve officially withdrawn the lawsuit and will be re-filing our APA petition next week. This time, Fish and Game will be legally required to respond, or we’ll be back in court holding them accountable.

The APA process invites public input, which means we’ll need to be prepared for both allies and detractors. Some arguments may come from well-meaning but misinformed perspectives, such as concerns that ferrets could become invasive species (a claim unsupported by evidence except in rare island ecosystems). Others might come from more extreme viewpoints, like the idea that pet ownership is inherently wrong.

This is where we need your help. Public support will be critical to countering misinformation and ensuring our message is heard loud and clear: Ferrets are domestic pets, not threats. They belong in loving homes, not on a banned list.

Thank you for sticking with us through this journey. Your continued support and advocacy fuel our efforts and keep us moving forward. We’ll keep you updated as we file the APA and prepare for the next steps.

Together, we can make ferret legalization a reality. 🐾

Warm regards,
Pat Wright
LegalizeFerrets.org