The good old days

[Tezza]

Maybe an online petition would be a great starting point just to outline the fact to DOC/MPI that wild ferrets and pet ferrets are two completely different types of ferret!, In my opinion the main starting point would be to let DOC/MPI know that we as New Zealanders, individuals and pet owners should be entitled to the same rights and privileges to keep ferrets as pets as cat owners do their cats so If cat owners are allowed to continue to keep their cats legally under the new strict guidelines that are being proposed by the councils etc. then it’s only fair that ferrets should be included in those same guidelines too!!.
 
Some of these guidelines will require cat owners to have their cat’s: micro chipped, registered, de-sexed, walked on a leash and securely housed at night (http://cdn.morganfoundation.org.nz/wp-co...t-2016.pdf) cat owners also class their cats as companions not pets which is a kind of loophole that seems to be working?.

We ferret lovers have to start somewhere and it must be a joint effort 

[Furrball]

Hi Tezza
I wondered were you got to. Thankyou for the link I will have a look after work. You are 100% correct. This site needs more people to join and interact with each other and we can then come up with a plan. It would have to be a joint effort with everyone involved. How we do that I'm unsure??

[Gilby]

Online petition may be worth to try.
I remember back 2002 there were over 5000 signatures organized by various rescue in NZ.
Back then, DOC disagree with different type of ferret. They are genetically identical.
Cat lover has way more political power compare to ferret lover. Even cat is one of the top predator against native wildlife in NZ.
Please note whoever likes to start the petition best not to illegally keeping ferret. I can almost almost guarantee you will get raid by DOC.

[Furrball]

Hi Tezza
What a great article. The companion cat gets away with murder. That would be the sort of thing we would need to create along with signatures from ferret lovers and the public who are positive about ferrets. How would you start a petition? I wouldn't have a clue. Also how many signatures would you need to be able to present it to the officials. This can be done!! All ferret sites in new Zealand would need to be on board.

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Hi gilby
Yea I guarantee they would raid someone. The person who runs it would need to have balls and a very strong personality. Noone get me wrong I'm all about conservation

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But I know from experience the domesticated ferret is the least of new Zealand's problems especially if there were rules and possibly licences in place.

[Gilby]

Here is a good example of what cat does and see how Rachel defense her cat. We would like ferret to be treated equally same as cat and dog. All predatory pet should be control/confine at all time by there owner.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/ce...neighbours

[Tezza]

Thanks' for posting that Gilby I hadn’t seen that before it’s a very interesting article!.
If that was a ferret it would of made the news headlines and the news papers all over New Zealand and the cat owners would of loved it, lets hope it rattles a few cages with DOC and MPI and makes them sit up and smell the roses!!.
It’s ironic to me that another discriminate predator like a Bengal cat was even allowed to be imported into NZ in the first place due to the supposedly high amount of predators that the native wildlife in NZ have to contend with already’ and for people to be allowed to breed and sell them for profit is totally ridiculous not to mention irresponsible? in my opinion Doc and MPI have always been two sided and always seem to contradict themselves, maybe their having lessons from Donald Trump Lol.

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Haha I'm always lurking in the background Furrball

[Furrball]

Great link Gilby.
I really can't see the problem with ferrets at all. Notice how the word ferret was never mentioned in all the comments at all. Just the usual stoats and rats. This totally proves our point. Are stoats illegal to kept as pets? If they are we should all get one!!. I wonder if a local mp would be a starting point??

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Its a shame we can't all get together and have a discussion. No doubt were all over the country.

[Tezza]

It’s illegal to keep any mustelid as a pet in NZ and it’s a $10.000 fine if your caught transporting one, check your regional councils ‘’current pest management strategy’’ it tells you all the rules and regulations about keeping mustelids, possums, birds, fish and everything else.
Yes it would be great if we could all catch up at some point but like Furrball said were all mile’s apart.

[Furrball]

How do we go about a petition then?. This site needs to be stronger with more active members. I would imagine there are other sites as well but everyone needs to collaborate and start working together. Coming up with ideas etc. We need to try and get the word out to all ferret lovers and get the numbers together. I think one site with hundreds of people would be a great way to get the ball rolling. We are doing plenty of whinging and whining but not doing anything to address the issue. I would love to have another ferret again and I bet there are a number of people in the same boat.

[Gilby]

Something like this from change.org

https://www.change.org/p/xavier-s-bill-l...california