State Laws
The information in this table was collected by Theresa Jordan from conversations with various breeders and pet shops, the board of directors of the American Federation of Aviculture, members of the Quaker Parakeet Mailing List and employees of Fish and Wildlife Departments In each state.
Quakers are legal with no restrictions in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.The rest of the states have restrictions as listed below:
STATE: RESTRICTION(S):
|
California |
Illegal to own or sell; no exceptions |
|
Connecticut |
Legal to own but illegal to sell. A "companion quaker" may be brought in from out of state as a pet, but breeding is illegal as is selling. Contact for permit. |
|
Georgia |
Prohibited as pets. Quakers are considered "wild animals." Breeding is allowed with a breeder's license ($236 annually) it bred for wholesale exportation, Transport across state lines is legal; no notice is required if travel through Georgia is less than 24 hours duration. |
|
Hawaii |
Illegal to own or sell; no exceptions |
|
Kansas |
Law states ownership is legal with a permit; however, the state has no forms for a permit application and the Department of Fish and Wildlife will not issue one (stalemate). |
|
Kentucky |
Illegal to own or sell-, no exceptions |
|
Maine |
Legal with approved permit; but they are reluctant to issue any |
|
Missouri |
Only breeders will be affected by a proposed law |
|
New Hampshire |
Legal with no restrictions. Importing allowed with permit and certification. |
|
New Jersey |
Legal ownership granted via permit after strict criteria are met. Quakers are included in Section: 7:25 4.8 - "Potentially Dangerous Species." They are listed as "potentially dangerous"and cannot be kept as pets. |
|
New York |
All pet birds must be banded to be sold retail or to be boarded at a pet shop (they can be confiscated from a pet store if not banded). There is no form of registration. |
|
Ohio |
Legal if wings are kept trimmed (law passed June 1996) |
|
Pennsylvania |
Illegal to own or sell; no exceptions (will euthanize) |
|
Rhode Island |
Illegal to own or sell; no exceptions |
|
Tennessee |
Illegal to own or sell; no exceptions |
|
Vermont |
Ownership legal with no specific restrictions. Importing: All psittacine birds imported into Vermont must be banded, microchipped or have other approved identification that identifies the breeder. |
|
Virginia |
Ownership, buying, selling and breeding are all legal if birds are closed-banded It is illegal to transport into Virginia unless moving there and birds are closed-banded. (Authors note: list members who live, in Virginia report no problems with unbanded birds, but the regulation is in place. - EK) |
|
Wyoming |
Illegal to own or sell; no exceptions |
Bird Talk * December 1999