Ferret Laws, Legalization and Forbidden States

You have to just think about a ferret to think about all the trouble these little guys can get into. There have been plenty of issues with ferrets biting people in the past that have made them prone to lawsuits. You might have also heard of yard or toy damage as well. Before you bring a ferret into your home, there are a few things you should consider and things that it would be better for you to know.

Ferrets are legal in most of the United States and other countries worldwide. However, they are forbidden in Hawaii and California. Both of these states have decided to prohibit ferrets in their states for unique reasons particular to their geographic location. Hawaii, for example, is a series of islands with many exotic animals that could be influenced and affected by the presence of ferrets, which are not indigenous to their population.

It is illegal to own a ferret in Australia. They had some issues in the past with exotic rabbits and other animals, so they have now become more stringent about any animals being brought into their country and ferrets are one of them. New Zealand has also expressed similar concerns and has consequently outlawed them as well.

Many counties in the United States will require ferret permits in order for you to legally own these animals. You will need to have a permit in both New York City and Dallas as these two cities have their own specific regulations for ferrets and other exotic pets.

If the ferret is not specifically mentioned in the law books, they are legal by default. Permits that are required are usually inexpensive and relatively easy to obtain. Proof of the rabies vaccine is easy to get when you get the vaccination done. Your vet will typically hand you a piece of metal that shows vaccination.

Sometimes, it will be mandatory for you to keep your ferret on a leash when in public places. In some places, you will have a one-license per household rule, which means that no matter how many ferrets you have, only one license will suffice. Other locations will restrict the number of ferrets you can keep in your home, while other places will say that you must spay or neuter your animal.

Ferrets are still seen as wild animals by many people. There are special regulations to curb their ownership. In these cases, the ferrets are considered to be more like raccoons and skunks versus cats. Many people will think that rabies is rampant among the ferrets and they will affect the human owners that have them. However, rabies is very rare in ferrets and even if a ferret does have it, they will most often die before inflicting the disease on another human.

Some lawmakers in certain counties will say that escaped ferrets will band together to create an intimidating group that terrorizes livestock. Although this has never been recorded or happened in the past, the rumor persists. In reality, ferrets are not likely to last long in the wild anymore as they are very sensitive to climate changes. They also now have a poor ability to forage food and will certainly suffer from dehydration too quickly to harass livestock!

Research the laws in your area. The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has ferrets listed as domestic animals since January of 1996 as a revision in their Title 9 code. The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) also sees ferrets as domestic animals. Changing the laws and viewpoints in the area will take a long time. You will need to protect yourself and your pet by knowing the laws in your area.

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