Oppose Pet Bans in New York City
Tell New York City lawmakers to oppose this bird-sale ban and protect responsible pet choice.
New York City lawmakers are considering legislation that would ban the sale of birds through pet stores and other regulated retail businesses across the state.
While supporters claim this proposal will improve animal welfare, the reality is that it would eliminate responsible, regulated sources for pet birds while pushing consumers toward unregulated online sellers, social media marketplaces, and other sources with far less oversight.
If passed, this legislation would:
- Prohibit the sale of many pet birds through licensed and regulated retail businesses
- Remove important consumer protections, including health guarantees, transparency, and accountability
- Push families toward unregulated online sellers and out-of-state sources
- Threaten responsible small businesses that comply with animal-care standards and state regulations
- Reduce consumer access to healthy, well-cared-for companion birds
Responsible pet retailers provide transparency, education, and accountability that consumers cannot always find through unregulated sellers. Eliminating these businesses will not stop bad actors, it will simply drive consumers away from regulated sources and into the shadows of the marketplace.
New York Cityers deserve practical animal-welfare policies that target irresponsible sellers without punishing responsible businesses and consumers.
Tell New York City lawmakers to oppose this bird-sale ban and protect responsible pet choice.
What Are Pet Bans?
Pet bans don’t ban pets outright, but they make it harder to get one. Typically, these laws ban stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits. Increasingly, these laws ban guinea pigs and other pets, too. A recent law in D.C. bans the sale of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds.
Advocates claim these laws help pets, but it’s the opposite: They actually hurt pets.
Here’s how these laws hurt pets:
Losing Legal Protection
Pet stores are the most regulated and transparent source of pets. Stores offer warranties and protections for consumers that shelters and rescues don’t. Laws that ban sales at pet stores cause families to turn to less regulated sources where they have less protections. Some even become victims of online scams.
Scams
After California passed a statewide ban on stores selling pets, reports of pet scams went up 350%. According to a Veterinarians.org analysis, “California is the state with the most reported puppy scams.”
Foreign Puppy Mills
The Centers for Disease Control reports that puppies are being trafficked into the U.S. from abroad. Puppies are bred in foreign “puppy mills” before being imported as “rescue” dogs.
Deadly Conditions?
Animals can die during long transports from abroad. In 2020, a plane landing in Toronto with 500 French bulldog puppies had dozens of dead puppies die during transit.
Better Solutions
People are rightly seeking to ensure the welfare of animals sold through stores. The way to do this is to address animal welfare directly. Banning stores from selling animals only creates a black market where there is less protection for animals. After all, Prohibition didn’t stop moonshiners–it helped them.
Effective solutions include:
Third-Party Certification
Consumers should support efforts to develop and implement certification programs based on sound science and demonstrated data. This is one of the most effective ways to protect animal welfare and consumers.
Transparency
Some states require pet stores to provide information about which breeders animals come from. This transparency helps ensure that dogs come from breeders in good standing.
Good Regulation
Breeders that sell across state lines must be inspected and regulated by the USDA. Almost all states that are major breeding states have additional regulations of dog breeding. But federal import regulations are lax, which makes it easy for pet traffickers. The USDA estimates more than 1 million dogs are brought into the country every year–and less than 1 percent fall under Animal Welfare Act regulations. The CDC reports that pet traffickers have found loopholes to federal regulation. The Healthy Dog Importation Act would close loopholes used by traffickers.
Ready To Help?
Tell your legislators to oppose pet bans!