The New York City Council is considering a landmark bill Intro 1325, that would ban the retail sale of birds in pet stores throughout the city. Introduced by Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, the legislation aims to end the sale of commonly traded birds such as parrots, cockatiels, parakeets, finches, and macaws, while excluding poultry and exempting licensed breeders.
The bill, backed by Voters for Animal Rights, World Animal Protection US, and the Avian Welfare Coalition, follows the successful 2024 ban on guinea pig sales and continues the city’s efforts to address the harms of the pet trade.
Birds sold in pet stores often come from large-scale commercial breeding mills, where they suffer from overcrowding, neglect, and lack of proper socialization. Many are separated from their families at a young age and endure a lifetime of confinement.
It addition, the sale of birds also fuels the exotic bird trade, which poses a significant threat to global biodiversity. Wild-caught birds, particularly parrots and macaws, remain high-value commodities in the international pet trade, despite legal protections under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Even in the legal market, the demand for exotic birds helps sustain a pipeline that includes smuggling, habitat destruction, and the spread of zoonotic diseases.
The consequences are not just environmental or ethical, they’re psychological as well. Numerous studies have shown that captive birds, particularly those from species with high intelligence and complex social structures, often develop behavioral disorders such as feather plucking, aggression, and chronic anxiety when confined to small cages and deprived of natural stimuli.
If passed, Intro 1325 would make New York City a national leader in avian protection and humane policy.
TAKE ACTION! Urge your New York City Council Member to prohibit the sale of birds in pet stores HERE!
