Ordinances Protecting Rabbits

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Following are the laws that we know of in North America that deal with and protect pet rabbits:

State Laws

  • In 2019, Massachusetts is considering a bill that would ban the sale of rabbits, cats, and dogs as pets
  • Starting in 2019, California no longer allows the sale of rabbits, cats, and dogs as pets; all pet stores that “sell” animals must now carry rescued animals. Dogs and cats must be spayed/neutered prior to adoption, although this does not apply to rabbits.
  • North Carolina, Indiana, Virginia, Florida, and Vermont ban the sale of unweaned rabbits, or rabbits under 2 months of age.
  • Colorado bans the sale of rabbits under the age of 4 weeks.
  • New Jersey, California, Kentucky, South Carolina, Maine, Maryland, Montana, and Pennsylvania ban the dying of rabbits and other animals and the sale or giveaway of rabbits under 2 months of age.
  • North Dakota, DC, Illinois, Arkansas, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Washington, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Ohio prohibit the sale of dyed rabbits and other animals.
  • Washington, DC bans the sale of pet rabbits under the age of 16 weeks.
  • Pennsylvania bans the sale of rabbits and other animals in public places.
  • Vermont and California prohibit the sale of rabbits and other animals on the side of the road.
  • Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin all have laws prohibiting the give away of rabbits and other animals as prizes in carnivals or other events (although sometimes those laws only specify the giveaway of very young animals).

 City  and County Laws

  • Aurora, CO has a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance that includes rabbits. They also have a pet limit law of two rabbits. Pet owners can get an exception to these laws by purchasing a breeder or kennel license.
  • San Francisco, CA prohibits the sale of pet rabbits in the city and county.
  • Los Angeles, CA prohibits the sale of pet rabbits and other animals in the city’s pet stores.
  • Boston, MA prohibits the sale of pet rabbits and other animals in the city’s pet stores.
  • Chicago, IL prohibits the sale of pet rabbits and other animals in the city’s pet stores.
  • The county of Bernalillo, NM prohibits the sale of rabbits as companion animals (i.e. pet stores cannot sell rabbits in the county). Sale of all rabbits is banned during the months of March and April (this eliminates impulse sales for Easter).  This does not apply to the city of Albuquerque, which bans cat and dog sales but allows rabbit sales.
  • Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, TX all ban the sale of rabbits and other animals in public places.
  • In Louisiana, St. Tammany Parish, the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and the city of Slidell all forbid giving away rabbits and other animals as prizes.
  • Any Arizona county with a population of 800,000 or more prohibits the sale of rabbits or any other animals on or near any public highway, street or park.
  • Santa Fe, NM forbids giving away live animals as carnival prizes within city limits.
  • New York, NY prohibits the sale of rabbits in the city’s pet stores.
  • Salt Lake City, UT prohibits the sale of pet rabbits in the city’s pet stores.
  • The following Ontario cities now prohibit the sale of rabbits in pet stores: Toronto, Kingston, Missassauga, Kitchener, and Windsor.
  • Surrey, BC and Richmond, BC have banned the sale of rabbits in pet stores.
  • Ottawa is now considering banning the sale of rabbits, cats and dogs in their pet stores.
  • In 2019, Buffalo Grove, IL (a suburb of Chicago) banned the sale of rabbits, cats and dogs in pet stores.

Also check out: http://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Rabbit_sale_laws_in_the_US