Ferrets

SC - Exotic Pets - § 47-5-50. Prohibition on sale of wild carnivores as pets; sale of domesticated ferrets.

Summary: This South Carolina law provides that no carnivores, which normally are not domesticated, may be sold as pets in this State. A carnivore kept by an individual must not be allowed to run at large and then returned to confinement. A normally wild animal indigenous to this State, if held captive for a period of time, may be released to the wild. This section does not apply to domesticated ferrets. Each business that sells ferrets must also display a notice about the potential danger of unprovoked attacks against humans.

RI - Fur - Chapter 16. Fur-Bearing Animals

Summary: These laws mandate how fur-bearing mammals may be hunted and trapped, and the issuance of trapping licenses. In order to set traps for fur-bearers, a person must have a trapping license from the department of environmental management. Steel jawed leghold traps are not allowed with some exceptions, A violation may result in a fine and/or imprisonment, and the revocation of the trapping license.

KY - Dog Laws (also includes cats & ferrets) - Kentucky Consolidated Dog Laws (License, Impound, Bite, etc.)

Summary: These Kentucky statutes comprise the state's Dog Laws, which were amended significantly in 2005. Included are all vaccination, licensing, animal control provisions, and the relevant dog bite statutes. Under Section 258.235, any person may kill or seize any dog which he sees in the act of pursuing or wounding any livestock, or wounding or killing poultry, or attacking human beings, whether or not such dog bears the license tag required by the provisions of this chapter. There shall be no liability on such person in damages or otherwise for killing, injuring from an attempt to kill, or for seizing the dog. That same section also comprises the state's new strict liability law for dog bites. Under Sec. 235(4), any owner whose dog is found to have caused damage to a person, livestock, or other property shall be responsible for that damage.

DE - Rabies - Subchapter I. Rabies Control in Animal and Human Populations

Summary: The purpose of this chapter is to control and suppress the spread of rabies among the domestic and wild animal populations of Delaware. Any person owning a dog 6 months of age or older in this State shall have that dog vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian. Any person owning a cat 6 months of age or older in this State shall have the cat vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian. Any person owning a ferret 6 months of age or older in this State shall have the ferret vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian.

CO - Endangered Species - Article 2. Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation

Summary: These Colorado statutes provide the State's intent to protect endangered, threatened, or rare species and defines the terms associated with the statute. It also has a provision specific to the reintroduction of the bonytail and black-footed ferret. Under the management program, Colorado law provides for the acquisition of habitat for species listed as well as other protective measures.

AL - Impound - Destruction of impounded dogs and cats

Summary: This Alabama statute provides that all dogs, cats, and ferrets which have been impounded for lack of rabies immunization, after due notice has been given to the owner as provided in Section 3-7A-7, may be humanely destroyed and disposed of when not redeemed by the owner within seven days. The owner may redeem the animal before destruction by paying the associated costs of vaccination (if no proof of prior vaccination) and impoundment.

AL - Impound - Maintenance of pound; notice of impoundment; adoption of animals.

Summary: This Alabama statute provides that it is the duty of each and every county in the state to provide a suitable county pound and impounding officer for the impoundment of dogs, cats, and ferrets found running at large in violation of the provisions of this chapter. When dogs and cats are impounded and if the owner thereof is known, such owner shall be given direct notice of the impoundment of said animal or animals belonging to him; or the impounding officer may make said animal or animals available for adoption after a period of not less than seven days.

Larobina v R

Summary:

The appellant appeal against a conviction for animal cruelty sustained in a lower court. After an examination of the elements of the statutory offense, it was found that the charge upon which the conviction was sustained was unknown to law.

New York City Friends of Ferrets v. City of New York

Summary:

New York City Friends of Ferrets, an unincorporated association of individuals in New York City who own or wish to own ferrets as household pets, bring this action challenging the legality of the City of New York's prohibition against the keeping of ferrets within the City limits and the requirement that in any case where a ferret is reported to have bitten a human being, the ferret be immediately surrendered to the New York City Department of Health and humanely destroyed in order to conduct a rabies examination.  The district court granted the city's summary judgment motion, and dismissed the ferret owners' equal protection claim. The court found a rational relationship between the city's ferret ban and its legitimate interest in protecting human safety.