The Swiss Fancy Ferret Society Ferrets have been kept for decades in Switzerland, mainly by farmers and game keepers. It is unclear for what reason, as hunting with ferrets has never been common here, and certainly isn't today. In the past few years ferrets have become more pop ular as pets, but are still rare in Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Act for Protection of Animals is quite advanced and strict. This is especially true for wild animals and consequently for the family of mustelids.
Little difference is made between polecats and ferrets.
A permission from the Fed eral Veterinary Office is needed to import, export or to keep a ferret in captivity. The statutory requirements include a minimum cage size of two square meters for two animals, nutrition recommendations and the keeping livestock statistics. Num ber of animals on the premises, cause of death and name and address of buyer or seller have to be recorded. It is not allowed to sell ferrets to anybody without per mission. The district veterinarian inspects the animals and their housing on a regular basis.