The saga of New York City vs. Ferret continues. Today, the New York City Board of Health upheld a 1999 law that banned the animal from New York City. The ferret and the city have historically had a strained relationship. According to the Board of Health, the animal's skeletal structure allows it to escape into tiny crevices. This, partnered with the fact that ferrets have had a history of injuring infants, has made the species "uniquely problematic," according to one health official.
Today, the New York City Board of Health was given the opportunity to overturn the 16-year-old ban but upheld the law. Naturally, ferret lovers all over the city were crestfallen. "I don't think I've ever been let down by my government this much," said Ariel Jasper, a Brooklyn woman who petitioned the city last year to overturn the ban.
We will not let this get us down. We will not give up. #ferretfreedom
— Ferret Club of NYC (@Ferrets_NYC) March 10, 2015
Ferret lovers and the New York City government have had bad blood since the days of Rudolph W. Giuliani. The former mayor in particular seemed to be vehemently opposed to allowing ferrets in the city. In an angry rant, he once told a ferret rights supporter that he was "suffering from a sickness" and needed to speak with a psychiatrist about his ferret obsession.
We're sure this ban is only a minor setback for all the ferret freedom fighters out there.
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page
G.S. Matthews | Flickr
