Pat Wright loves his three ferrets – even though they do sometimes bite and he's had to replace the baseboards in part of his house after they urinated for years along the walls – and he really wants them to become legalised as pets in California.

Recently, Wright was anxiously preparing what he admits may be a quixotic campaign to legitimise Tiger, Bailey and Jethro after a decision the week before by state officials in Sacramento to allow him to gather signatures to place a referendum on the ballot making it legal to own and import ferrets.