SAN DIEGO — Legalize Ferrets, the grassroots organization advocating for the legalization of domestic ferrets in California, has announced a strategic pause in its ongoing lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court. The decision follows the filing of a petition for regulatory change with the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL), marking a new approach in the effort to challenge the state’s longstanding ban on ferrets.
The shift in strategy stems from the fact that California’s ferret ban, enacted in 1931, predates the establishment of the OAL and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The APA mandates that all regulations go through a formal process to ensure transparency, accountability, and public input—something that did not occur with the ferret ban. By filing this petition, Legalize Ferrets is now addressing the issue where it originated: before the OAL.
“We believe this petition represents our best path forward,” said Pat Wright, founder of Legalize Ferrets. “The OAL was created to ensure that regulations like this are properly vetted through a formal process, which is something the ferret ban has never gone through. We are optimistic that this will lead to a fair and thorough review, which has been missing for nearly a century.”
The OAL has sixty days to respond to the petition, during which Legalize Ferrets remains committed to pursuing all available avenues for justice. While the lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court is paused, the group believes that the regulatory petition offers a strong chance of success by revisiting the legal basis for the ban.
“We’re not stepping back – we’re simply changing our approach,” Wright added. “We’re confident that the regulatory process will allow for a fresh and fair review of the facts, and we encourage our supporters to stay engaged and continue pushing for change.”
Supporters are encouraged to sign the Change.org petition to further the cause.
