Senate Bill 0398 (S0398) in Rhode Island has been introduced to the SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & AGRICULTURE as a companion bill which would ban all birds in the order Psittaciformes from being sold in pet shops. Over 350 species of birds would be affected, including parakeets, cockatiels, lovebirds, parrots, macaws, cockatoos, and many more.
 

Pet shops would not be allowed to sell birds from breeders, even though some pet shops breed their birds or buy from select breeders. It is sponsored by Senators Murray, Urso, DiMario, Gallo, and Valverde.

 

Read the bill text at https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Billtext/BillText25/SenateText25/S0398.htm. The bill was assigned to the Senate Environment & Agriculture. Find the Committee members at https://www.rilegislature.gov/Pages/SenateCommitteeMembers.aspx?ComChoiceS=SEAA&CommitteeName=Environment%20and%20Agriculture.
 

Sample Letter: (Be professional and civil. Please edit and personalize)
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Email list: sen-sosnowski@rilegislature.gov, sen-britto@rilegislature.gov, sen-vargas@rilegislature.gov, sen-dimario@rilegislature.gov, sen-gu@rilegislature.gov, sen-kallman@rilegislature.gov, sen-rogers@rilegislature.gov, sen-urso@rilegislature.gov

 

Subject line: NO to S0398
 

Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee Members,
 

I oppose Senate Bill 0398 as a Rhode Island resident and responsible animal owner. This bill paints all bird breeders and pet shops as being guilty of animal cruelty. Rhode Island already has animal cruelty laws, including Title 4, Chapter 1, titled Cruelty to Animals (Gen. Laws, 1956, § 4-1). This and other laws can be enforced in cases of animal cruelty.
 

Pet shops are very heavily regulated. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates bird breeders and pet stores. S0398 is a redundant and superfluous law. Animals in pet shops are already protected under multiple layers of law and regulation.
 

The House companion bill, H5214, was tabled after its hearing because it was clear that legislators were not provided with the whole story when they were sold this piece of legislation.
 

Rhode Island legislators should be using our state’s resources on more important matters than writing redundant laws. Please stop S0398 before this bad bill further advances the radical animal rights agenda to remove all pets from our lives. Thank you for your time, and have a good day.
 

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME and zip code