LA MESA, Calif. /California Newswire/ — On February 12, 2025, a formal Public Records Act (PRA) request was submitted to the California Fish and Game Commission seeking documentation to justify the classification of domestic ferrets as “not normally domesticated in California” by LegalizeFerrets.org. The request specifically asked for any scientific studies, internal memos, environmental risk assessments, or correspondence used to uphold the ongoing prohibition of domestic ferrets under Title 14, Section 671 of the California Code of Regulations.
As of today-more than 90 days later – no responsive records have been produced.
We acknowledge and appreciate the professional efforts of Executive Director Melissa Miller-Henson and her staff, particularly Cynthia McKeith, who confirmed receipt of our request and committed to transparency. This is not a failure of staff, who were given an impossible task: to produce evidence that likely doesn’t exist.
“We’re not angry with the staff. In fact, we feel for them. Melissa Miller-Henson inherited a legacy of bureaucratic neglect. We’re sorry she got stuck with this,” said Pat Wright, who submitted the request. “But after 35 years of petitions being ignored or quietly denied without justification, we’re done being silent.”
The request asked for documents dating back to 1931, when the original mustelid regulation was enacted. The public has a right to know: was the ferret ban ever based on actual evidence, or has it simply persisted unchallenged?
In the absence of records, this silence speaks volumes. The California Fish and Game Commission owes the public more than a stall – it owes an explanation.
We remain committed to transparency, due process, and accountability in our campaign to legalize domestic ferrets in California. All responses, or lack thereof, will be documented publicly.
For more information or to follow the ongoing effort, visit: https://www.legalizeferrets.org
Learn More: https://www.legalizeferrets.org/
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