I asked ChatGPT, fearful of the answer:
“Does the California Fish and Game Commission have any claim to jurisdiction over exotic animals even if they are domestic?”
The answer? Both reassuring and frustrating.
✅ The Short Answer:
No — the Commission does not have the legal right to regulate animals that are domestic. But they’ve claimed that authority anyway, often without evidence, public input, or due process.
🔍 Breaking it Down:
Under California law, animals fall into two main legal categories:
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Domestic animals – considered personal property under Civil Code §655
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Wild animals – defined by Fish and Game Code §2116 as animals not normally domesticated in this state
The problem? The Fish and Game Commission has blurred that line for decades.
🐾 Ferrets Are the Case in Point
Ferrets have been domesticated for over 2,000 years. They’re legal in 48 states. They’re used in medical research, welcomed in homes, and bred exclusively in captivity. Yet California treats them as dangerous, wild, and illegal to possess.
The Commission justifies this by saying:
“Ferrets are not normally domesticated in this state.”
But that’s circular reasoning. Ferrets aren’t domesticated in California because the Commission won’t allow them — not because of any actual threat or wild behavior.
📜 So What Gives Them the Right?
Here’s how the Fish and Game Commission maintains its grip:
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Title 14, CCR §671 (the “Restricted Species List”) lets them prohibit animals considered “wild” or “not normally domesticated.”
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But they’ve never conducted a proper rulemaking process under the Administrative Procedures Act.
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They’ve never held hearings, presented evidence, or evaluated the risks with peer-reviewed science.
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They simply declared ferrets “detrimental” based on theoretical concerns — and that was that.
📆 Timeline of Overreach
Here’s a quick look at how this shaky authority evolved:
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1986: Ferrets added to the Restricted Species List without evidence or hearings.
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1994: The Commission claims ferrets aren’t domesticated in this state, so the ban holds.
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2000s: Domestic animals like sugar gliders and hybrid cats are also banned under the “not native” excuse.
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2023: DFW reasserts its authority over ferrets due to “potential” risks — again with no data.
⚖️ The Legal Reality
The Commission cannot regulate animals that are:
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Domesticated by breed and function,
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Considered property under California law,
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Not shown to be wild or harmful through the proper legal channels.
They’ve overstepped — and it’s time they were held to account.
📢 Why This Matters
Our petition to the California Fish and Game Commission (Petition 2025-003) demands that the state:
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Recognize ferrets as domestic,
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Remove them from the restricted list,
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And follow the law like every other agency is required to.
This isn’t just about ferrets. It’s about agency accountability, scientific honesty, and basic legal fairness.
📬 Want to Help?
Email the Commission at fgc@fgc.ca.gov and tell them you support Petition 2025-003.
Domestic animals don’t belong in the same category as pythons, jaguars, or crocodiles — and the Fish and Game Commission doesn’t get to make up the rules as they go.