The Metropolis Council will reintroduce a invoice banning the sale of birds at pet shops throughout New York after a fledgling try final 12 months didn’t get off the bottom.
Councilmember Harvey Epstein, a Democrat from Manhattan, will introduce the invoice that may prohibit the sale of some birds in pet retailers. These embody non-poultry birds like parrots, cockatiels, finches, parakeets, and macaws.
“Far too many birds offered in New York Metropolis pet shops come from out-of-state chicken mills: large industrial breeding services the place 1000’s of birds are confined to cages and handled like stock as an alternative of dwelling beings,” Epstein mentioned in an announcement.
“It’s time to finish the pipeline from chicken mills to pet shops and higher defend birds from a lifetime of captivity,” he mentioned.
The regulation would apply solely to pet shops. Poultry retailers can nonetheless promote stay chickens, turkey, and different fowl.
Allie Taylor, from Voters for Animal Rights, mentioned birds offered in shops are “extremely smart, social tropical animals meant to soar by means of open skies, not spend many years confined to cages and offered as impulse purchases.”
The invoice was first launched final 12 months by former Metropolis Councilmember Diana Ayala, nevertheless it was by no means delivered to a vote. A related invoice launched within the state meeting final 12 months sought to ban the sale of birds statewide, nevertheless it hasn’t taken flight.
In 2023, the Council banned the sale of guinea pigs at pet shops, as the town’s shelters had been overrun with the pets, surrendered by house owners who couldn’t take care of them.
The chicken invoice’s introduction final 12 months ruffled the feathers of pet store house owners across the metropolis, who mentioned it might damage enterprise and clients.
“What’s gonna occur to the typical previous Joe Schmo when he’s eagerly in search of a chicken? They’re gonna find yourself spending $100, $150 for a parakeet versus the $50 that they’re spending proper now, which doesn’t make sense,” Queron Romain, a chicken breeder who additionally works at a Marvel Pets Corp. in Brooklyn, instructed THE CITY.
“You’re solely making pet shops work more durable to remain open,” he mentioned. “For those who take out the birds, it’s solely gonna be fish. Actually, there’s nothing else to purchase.”
