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Bill to ban retail sale of parrots draws split testimony from sanctuary operators and specialty pet store owners
Summary
House Bill 5214 would ban the sale of parrots in Rhode Island, with a proposed small‑business carve‑out; rescue groups urged the ban to reduce surrenders, while Jungle Junction owners and other small retailers opposed a statewide prohibition and urged education and targeted measures instead.
Representative Carter introduced House Bill 5214, a proposal to prohibit the retail sale of parrots (psittacine birds) in Rhode Island, with a possible carve‑out for certain small businesses.
Amanda Coleman, sanctuary director at Foster Parrots and New England Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary, told the committee the sanctuary houses nearly 400 permanent residents and is receiving unprecedented surrender requests: "This year alone, as of January 1, we've already received 36 requests for surrender... In 2024 our total number for surrender requests were over a thousand," she said, urging stricter limits on impulse purchases at big-box retailers.
Owners of Jungle Junction in Cumberland, Renee and Walter Ducharme, opposed a blanket ban. Renee said she vets purchasers, provides ongoing owner support and arranges vet care and follow-up for buyers. Walter Ducharme and their daughter Nicole told the committee the family-run store prioritizes rehoming responsibility and education; the witnesses said many of their birds are bred locally and that restricting sales could push buyers across state lines or to unregulated sellers.
Rhode Island Parrot Rescue and Foster Parrots told the committee they receive high numbers of surrenders and urged restricting retail sales by large chains that carry parrots with little buyer education. Rescue testimony emphasized medical and behavioral problems in surrendered birds and said impulsive purchases at retail chains often precede rapid rehoming. Rescue leaders said stronger education, screening, or a retail ban would reduce the number of birds needing sanctuary care.
Committee members asked about numbers, breeder sources, age and return rates. Witnesses said Jungle Junction currently sells smaller psittacines like parakeets and cockatiels, bred locally, and reported few returns to date; rescues said many surrendered birds arrive from a variety of origins including out of state and from breeding and hoarding situations. The bill was presented and heard but was held for further study under the committee’s earlier procedural motion.
