Bans the sale of parrots at pet stores from a breeder or broker. The pet store may sell parrots obtained from animal care facilities or animal rescue organizations. The sale would also be prohibited at any outdoor markets or retail parking lots.
Summary
H5214 would amend Rhode Island’s psittacine birds law to restrict how parrots may be sold and where they may be offered for sale. The bill makes it unlawful for pet stores to sell or offer parrots obtained from breeders or brokers, while still allowing pet stores to place parrots sourced from animal care facilities or animal rescue organizations. It also requires that the rescue or shelter source be clearly displayed during adoption events at pet stores.
The bill further prohibits the sale, exchange, or barter of parrots in public or semi-public places such as roadsides, parks, outdoor markets, and commercial or retail parking lots, even when the property owner permits access. It creates a one-year grace period for pet stores to sell parrots already in their possession when the law takes effect, and it bars pet stores from acquiring additional parrots from breeders or brokers during that grace period. The act would take effect immediately upon passage.
Impact
This bill would add a new section to Rhode Island General Laws chapter 4-11 governing psittacine birds, creating a targeted regulatory framework for parrot sales. It would not ban parrot ownership generally, but it would limit retail and public-market sales channels, shift sourcing toward shelters and rescue organizations, and impose civil penalties of $1,000 per unlawful sale, or $1,500 for certain grace-period violations. Enforcement would be assigned to the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and an advisory committee from Foster Parrots, Ltd. and Rhode Island Parrot Rescue would assist with implementation for 18 months.
Sentiment
The available bill materials suggest a generally protective, animal-welfare-oriented approach, with the bill framed as a measure to reduce commercial breeding and broker-driven parrot sales and to encourage adoption through rescue organizations. No committee transcript or recorded vote is provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or opposition in the supplied record. The inclusion of an implementation advisory committee also suggests an effort to make compliance manageable for pet stores and rescue partners.
Contention
The main policy tension in the bill is between animal-welfare advocates, who appear to support limiting parrot sales through breeders, brokers, and public venues, and pet retail interests that would be restricted from their current sales practices. Another point of potential contention is the bill’s categorical treatment of parrots: it excludes parrots from agricultural-use exceptions and from fair or educational display exceptions, which may be viewed as unusually strict. Enforcement authority and the civil fine structure may also draw scrutiny from affected sellers and retailers, particularly during the one-year transition period.