Moves afoot to ban pet ferrets

By WARREN GAMBLE

Keeping ferrets as household pets is likely to be made illegal, but owners will be allowed to retain their existing animals.

The Herald understands that the Minister of Conservation, Sandra Lee, will soon announce a ban on ferrets as pets because of their threat to kiwi and other rare wildlife.

But representatives of the 500 people estimated to own pet ferrets say a ban is unjustified because there is no evidence escaped pets have killed native wildlife.

The ferret debate resurfaced this week after revelations that a couple took their pet ferrets for a walk on Great Barrier Island, a protected wildlife sanctuary. The Auckland Regional Council is likely to prosecute the owners.

The Conservation Minister's office said an announcement on a new ferret policy was planned last year but other business intervened. A spokesman said the new policy would be released soon, but would not give details.

However, the Herald understands the minister will overturn wildlife regulations introduced in 1985 which made pet ferrets legal.

The regulations were introduced to control the commercial farming of ferrets for their fur, but the industry collapsed soon after.

In 1999 the former Minister of Conservation, Nick Smith, released a discussion document aimed at tightening ferret regulations because of their threat to native wildlife, especially kiwi and other rare ground birds.

Of the individuals who replied to the document, 77 per cent were in favour of a ban on keeping ferrets.

The Herald understands the imminent ban will allow ferret owners to keep existing, desexed animals until they die.

Ferrets live for about six years, but some can live up to 11 or more.

Conservationists have welcomed a ban, but Forest and Bird says that for one to work existing pets would have to be registered and uniquely identified, possibly through inserting a microchip.

It is not known how the tiny ferret breeding industry will be affected. Waikato-based Mystic Ferrets exports most of its animals, and its owners could not be contacted yesterday.

The president of the Ferret Protection and Welfare Society, Barbara Choat, said the organisation promoted responsible ferret ownership. It had been appalled by the Great Barrier incident.

She said a ban would only create a black market in pet ferrets and the responsible ownership message would be lost.

"It will be a very narrow-minded if they do that. They have not considered the difference between pet and wild ferrets and it seems a real shame to ban a pet based on inaccurate information."

Ferrets and the great pet debate

nzherald.co.nz/environment