State and local laws about keeping finches

[mickp]

the safest way to sell birds is to meet the buyer/seller at some place away from your home.

[CandoAviary]

Another thing to consider besides the permits and liscense if selling your pets is that some states require a vet health certificate be provided for the animals you sell. This gets extremely costly if you have a lot of birds.
Some fairs will have a vet at the fairs to give health certificate too.
Though I don't know how that can work because if you take them to the fair and the person there issueing certificates finds you have sick birds...well isn't a little late... all the other birds have already been exposed. Unless it is done at a different facility? Not sure.
I inquired about selling birds at a big bird fair in a neighboring state. I was sent paperwork stating the cost of the vendor table, cost of the GA state permit $200.00 and notification of required health certificates for each bird I have hundreds
I called and talked with one of the organizers and asked about the $200.00 fee to sell in their state. It all was explained to me and I told them I had no avian vet in my area. They said.... don't worry about that we don't check, that's just a state law we have to put in our paperwork. I sure hope that most vendors do obey those laws weather they are checked or not.... needless to say I won't be selling there. They would be better off if the person handling the inquiries followed protocal.
In my state of FLorida they require that you have a tax ID # (free)and collect state tax and send it to the State revenue. A wildlife liscense that cost $ 50.00 per year, and the vendor fee for the tables. usually around $ 75.00 for two 8' tables and a 10' x 10' space. The 2 fairs I have inquired about do not require a health certificate for your birds but they do reserve the right to dismiss any birds that are not healthy looking, sounding, etc, Also if the cages are fouled you will ask to leave. Period. No refunds on your tables either.
We also have to keep record of every bird we sell and to who, with the purchasers name, address, and Id # (driver's liscense)
I would assume every state is different since the two I have inquired about have been different. So take the time to check them out before selling or buying. I think if I was buying in a state where it was manatory to have a health certificate I would request that it be furnished to me by the vendor... If they couldn't ...I wouldn't buy.

[Ursula]

I did this for Georgia..... I was surprised and I always wondered why I never saw any Java finches at the bird marts. I guess this explains it.....

Donna, do you know if we're legal with all our finches in Georgia??

I live in a city where I couldn't have chickens I believe, and I can only have a max. of 3 dogs. But even here, if I would want more I'd just have to get a license for more...

[dfcauley]

I did this for Georgia..... I was surprised and I always wondered why I never saw any Java finches at the bird marts. I guess this explains it.....

Donna, do you know if we're legal with all our finches in Georgia??

I...

I didn't see anything about having to have a permit or the number you could have.
I live outside the city limits, so I am not sure if that makes a difference.
shhhhh- just don't tell anybody.

I never allow anyone to my home unless they are good friend.
I have sold some birds before, but I always met the person at a designated location.

[Ursula]

The only birds that I gave away were button quail babies, and those people did come to my house. But I gave them away for free...

You're lucky living outside the city limits. I also have to put up with a neighborhood association of our subdivision. I'm sure they would be up in arms if I would want to have chickens in my yard... I don't think many people know of my aviary, it's facing the backyard. But I think since it's inside the house and not outside nobody can say anything anyway.

Luckily they haven't complained about all our outside birdfeeders yet and we don't tell anybody that they do attract rats. We always trap them quietly and relocate them miles away... Psssst, don't tell the neighbors...

[cindy]

HO Associations...we deal with them also. As long as they are in the house or back porch we are fine. The neighbors have bird feeders and it attracts rats also...some big ones! We are not allowed to have outside cats so we resort to traps.

They gave one guy a hard time about canaries in his climate controlled garage since on nice days he would open the garage door to clean and air the room out. He was not hurting anyone and his birds were beautiful.

I am going to get my license from Fish and Game this week.

[CandoAviary]

Cindy,
Congrats on getting your liscense

[cindy]

Thanks Candace,

I figure if I ever choose to sell anything it is better to have it. I had my license in Ft. Myers years ago.

[CandoAviary]

Plus you just never know when the Fish and Game may inspect you. I had a friend who had a little antique shop that she ran. Sweet little old lady... anyway, she had a couple of canaries and had bought a hen from me. She went to the local pet store and bought others. She had about 4 breeding pair that she kept in antique bird cages at her antique shop. They added so much charm and the singing throught the store was delightful. They weren't for sale... they were her pets. Soon the little birds bred and she had more than she new what to do with. She called me and said she had sold a few to customers and did I want to buy some.... I was up to my ears in chicks so I suggested that she place an add in the paper and have them come to her store to buy... worked great. She sold them all and at a fair price of $50.00. Next thing she new there was the F&G at her store wanting to see the breeding operation??? They laughed when they saw the few decorative cages with canaries..... She got her wildlife permit anyway for the future use/problems.
Later I was in that local pet store and the person in charge of the birds said to me...Did I know there was a canary breeder that was undercutting my price and doing it illegally. This person also bred canaries and sold out of the Pet store.High marked up birds at $ 149.00. She informed me that she wouldn't put up with people in this town undercutting her prices...she reported her Little did this blabbermouth know I had suggested she run an add and sell them. I never told the little old lady this news because she had a fiesty temper.... and who knows what would of happen.
Opened my eyes to the cut throat practices of competitors.
So it is beeter to be safe than sorry I have never been inspected in all the years that I have run animal type businesses. Seems like they should. Too many places around these parts keep their animals in awful conditions and illegally. Real slack Animal control in my county too. I see many animals suffer in the pet stores here.

[FinchDegg]

Luckily over here (England) we only really have the RSPCA to keep happy as far as animal authorities go, but to be honest (and i know this is only TV ) but from what i've seen of your Animal Patrol programmes they can overreact a little (Don't get me wrong our pets health should be a priority) but telling somebody to remove animals just because its a state law and not because of a "proper" reason i.e. abuse etc to me i think sucks bigtime.

I know as long as i had proper license or enough space, and enough time to look after the animals i could pretty much keep what i wanted and as many as could be looked after properly.

[cindy]

That is the key providing the care and food they need, I am for regulation of "mills" the unresponsible owner. A few of the states especially those that are well known as the puppy mill states have passed strict laws allowing only 50 animals at a time, certain conditions must be maintained, enough food and water and vet care.

This all to prevent the abuse that goes on in mills, wire cages were the animals' feet never touch ground, cramped cages where puppies are born in wire cages exposed to the elements, dogs shot when no longer able to breed, lack of medical care leaving a dog to suffer, etc. I'm all for the laws to help prevent that.

It is the responsible owners that should not punished and classified in with the ones that abuse or neglect.

[Domenic]

Can anyone help me? I've been researching for hours but for the life of me can not find anything about the amount of birds you can own in the State of Nevada. I want to become a small breeder because I have the space for it, but I don't want my birds to be confiscated if I don't have the right paperwork. I've read through the entire thread and some of the stories scare the crap outta me. Nevada is a very easy-going state when it comes to pets, but you never know.

[CandoAviary]

You may need this site...the Nevada Dept. of Agriculture
http://agri.nv.gov/Animal2_reg_abbrev.htm

[nixity]

I'm not sure if that's the right website or not - here is a list of regulations pertaining to animals being kept in Nevada:
http://www.bornfreeusa.org/b4a2_exotic_ ... e.php?s=nv

I do not see Gouldians on the list of approved species (for possession without a permit, that is), so you might want to call the Dept. of Ag to verify (I can't remember what all you've got).

Ordinarily Zebra & Society Finches are covered - I don't see them on the list but that doesn't mean they are prohibited without a permit.

[Domenic]

Thanks Tiffany and Candace. I did see that list you posted Tiffany, but I wasn't alarmed at gouldians not being on the list since many petstores here in town have them for sale. I'm more worried about the legal number of birds I can own without having them confiscated like Peter at the beginning of this thread.