Rabbit sale laws in the US

All breeders in the US are subject to the Animal Welfare Act which applies if they sell more than $500 of animals per year to a pet store or distributor. If so, then the breeder may need to be licensed and follow certain animal care and housing standards. There are many exemptions to the $500 rule though, and the law should read carefully to be sure whether they apply or not. See the USDA page on the Animal Welfare Act for more information.

Many states also have their own laws regarding the sale of rabbits including the age at which they may be sold and where they may be sold. Here we attempt to list all relevant laws for every state. Some states may not have any laws at all.

Alabama
From the Code of Alabama, § 3-1-15. Sale, offer for sale, barter, etc., of baby rabbits, chicks, ducklings, etc., as pets or novelties. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to display, sell, offer for sale, barter or give away any baby rabbits, or baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl, but not including parrots, parakeets and canaries, as pets or novelties, regardless of whether or not such rabbits or fowl are dyed, colored or otherwise artificially treated. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as prescribed by law.

Unfortunately, no definition of "baby rabbit" can be found, making the minimum age to sell rather ambiguous.

Arkansas
From West's Arkansas Code Annotated, § 5-62-121. Unlawful sale or dyeing of baby chicks, rabbits, ducklings (a) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to sell or offer for sale, barter, or give away living baby chicks, rabbits, or ducklings under two (2) months of age in any quantity less than six (6). (b) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to sell, offer for sale, barter, give away, or display living baby chicks, rabbits, or ducklings which have been dyed, colored, or otherwise treated so as to impart to them an artificial color. (c) This section shall not be construed to prohibit the sale or display of natural baby chicks, rabbits, or ducklings in proper brooder facilities by hatcheries or stores engaged in the business of selling them for commercial purposes. (d) Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a Class C misdemeanor. (e) Nothing in this section shall prohibit growers of living baby chicks, rabbits, ducklings, or other fowl from selling or making gifts thereof in quantities they deem appropriate.

Arizona
From The Code of the City of Phoenix, Arizona, '''Sec. 8-4. - Selling, dyeing, or coloring baby chickens, ducklings or young rabbits.''' It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, offer for sale, barter or give away baby chickens or ducklings under five weeks of age or rabbits under two months of age in less than one dozen lots as premiums, novelties, prizes, pets or toys, or to color, dye, stain or otherwise change the natural color of baby chickens or duckling or rabbits, or to bring or transport the same into the City; provided, that this section shall not be construed to prohibit the sale or display of baby chickens or ducklings or rabbits in proper facilities that comply with the provisions of the Sanitary Code or other rules and regulations of the Board of Health by breeders and those engaged in the business of selling for commercial breeding and raising purposes.

California
From West's Annotated California Codes: Penal Code 599. Selling or giving away poultry or rabbits as inducement to enter contest, place of amusement or business, Every person is guilty of a misdemeanor who (a) Sells or gives away, any live chicks, rabbits, ducklings, or other fowl as a prize for, or as an inducement to enter, any contest, game or other competition or as an inducement to enter a place of amusement or place of business; or (b) Dyes or otherwise artificially colors any live chicks, rabbits, ducklings or other fowl, or sells, offers for sale, or gives away any live chicks, rabbits, ducklings, or other fowl which has been dyed or artificially colored; or  (c) Maintains or possesses any live chicks, rabbits, ducklings, or other fowl for the purpose of sale or display without adequate facilities for supplying food, water and temperature control needed to maintain the health of such fowl or rabbit; or  (d) Sells, offers for sale, barters, or for commercial purposes gives away, any live chicks, rabbits, ducklings, or other fowl on any street or highway. This section shall not be construed to prohibit established hatchery management procedures or the display, or sale of natural chicks, rabbits, ducklings, or other fowl in proper facilities by dealers, hatcheries, poultrymen, or stores regularly engaged in the business of selling the same.

From Los Angeles County ordinances, 10.40.015 Sale of live animals--Prohibited at swap meet. Any person who maintains, operates, leases, rents or lends space at a swap meet shall not permit, cause, display for, or promote the sale of live animals at such swap meet. “Live animal” as defined by this section shall include, but is not limited to dogs, cats, birds, fish, poultry, rabbits and livestock. 10.40.020 Young rabbits or fowl--Certain acts prohibited. A. A person shall not:  1. Sell, offer for sale, barter, or give away, as pets, toys, premiums or novelties any baby chickens, ducklings or other fowl under three months of age, or rabbits under two months of age; or 2. Color, dye, stain or otherwise change the natural color of the above-described fowl or rabbits; or 3. Bring or transport the above-described fowl or rabbits into the county of Los Angeles. B. This section does not prohibit any act prohibited by, or permitted by, Section 599 of the Penal Code or any other statute. 10.40.030 Young rabbits or fowl--Display, maintenance or sale permitted when. This chapter does not prohibit the sale or display of any of the fowls or rabbits described herein, in proper facilities by breeders or stores engaged in the business of selling for commercial breeding or raising, or for food, or their exhibition at any fair, show or exhibit where such fowls or animals are displayed for commercial purposes and in the interest of improving agriculture or industry.

Connecticut
From Connecticut General Statutes Annotated, '''§ 53-249a. Sale or gift of dyed fowl or rabbits prohibited''' Any person who sells or offers for sale at retail or gives away, living chickens, ducklings, other fowl or rabbits, which have been dyed, colored or otherwise treated so as to import to them an artificial color, shall be fined not more than one hundred fifty dollars.

Indiana
From West's Annotated Indiana Code, 15-17-18-11 Birds and rabbits; transport violations; prohibited alteration of coloring Sec. 11. (a) A person who sells: ... (2) a rabbit under the age of two (2) months; commits a Class B misdemeanor. This subsection does not apply to commercial breeders or distributors whose facilities are adequately equipped for the care of young birds or rabbits. (b) A person who dyes, stains, or alters the natural coloring of a bird or rabbit commits a Class B misdemeanor.

Maine
From Maine Revised Statutes, '''§ 3970-B. Breeding and sale of small mammals''' 1. Rulemaking. The commissioner shall adopt major substantive rules in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A to regulate the breeding and sale of small mammals, including, but not limited to, guinea pigs, hamsters and rabbits. The rules must reflect the standards of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources for the care of small mammals. Rules adopted pursuant to this section apply only to persons who are not regulated or required to be licensed under chapter 723 or 735. 2. Penalty. A person who violates the rules adopted under this section commits a civil violation for which a fine not to exceed $100 per violation may be adjudged. §3972. Unlawful use of animals 1. Unlawful use of animals. It is unlawful for any person to: A. Sell, display, raffle, give away or offer for sale within the State any live animals that have been dyed or otherwise artificially colored; B. Sell, display, raffle, give away or offer for sale to the public any live fowl, turtles or rabbits under 8 weeks of age in lots of less than 6; C. Use any live animal as a premium, fund-raising device, prize or award or use any live animal in a raffle, contest, game or promotion except as authorized by law or rule; ... 2. Violation. Any person who makes unlawful use of animals contrary to this section commits a civil violation for which a forfeiture not to exceed $100 may be adjudged. For the purposes of this section, "animal" does not include lobsters or shellfish. 3. Construction. Nothing in this section may be construed to apply to any animal to be used or raised for agriculture, aquaculture or fishing, to any dog to be used or raised for hunting or exhibition purposes, by persons with proper facilities otherwise authorized by law, or to games using animals in which the participating animal is not caused, directly or indirectly, to perform any act that deviates from the animal's natural behavior provided that the game is conducted by an educational or cultural institution or other nonprofit service organization. 4. Exception. Notwithstanding subsection 1, paragraph C, livestock may be raffled by charitable organizations licensed under Title 17, section 1837, subsection 3 for fund-raising purposes. For the purposes of this section, "charitable organization" has the same meaning as defined in Title 9, section 5003, subsection 1. Proceeds from a raffle under this subsection must be used for charitable purposes. The animal must be awarded in freezer-ready form.

New Jersey
From the New Jersey Statutes, 4:22-26. Acts constituting cruelty in general; penalty A person who shall: ... o. Sell, offer for sale, barter or give away or display live baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl or rabbits, turtles or chameleons which have been dyed or artificially colored or otherwise treated so as to impart to them an artificial color; ... q. Sell or offer for sale, barter, or give away living rabbits, turtles, baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl under two months of age, for use as household or domestic pets; ... r. Sell, offer for sale, barter or give away living baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl, or rabbits, turtles or chameleons under two months of age for any purpose not prohibited by subsection q. of this section and who shall fail to provide proper facilities for the care of such animals;

New Hampshire
From the New Hampshire General Court: "437:15 Sale or Gift. – Rabbits younger than 4 weeks of age shall not be sold or offered for sale; raffled; or offered or given as a prize, premium, or advertising device."

New York
From Mckinney's Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated, § 354. Sale of baby chicks and baby rabbits 1. No person shall sell, offer for sale, barter or give away living baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl or baby rabbits unless such person provides proper brooder facilities where appropriate for the care of such baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl or baby rabbits during the time they are in the possession of such person. For the purposes of this section, a baby rabbit shall be a rabbit of less than two months of age. 2. No person shall sell, offer for sale, barter or display living baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl or baby rabbits which have been dyed, colored or otherwise treated so as to impart to them an artificial color. 2-a. No provision of subdivision two shall be interpreted or applied to prevent or restrict teachers and qualified instructors of youth under the guidance and supervision of the New York state cooperative extension service from using eggs for non-profit educational purposes or from observing fowl hatched from such eggs for non-profit educational purposes. 3. No person shall sell, offer for sale, barter or give away living baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl or baby rabbits under two months of age in any quantity less than six. 4. A violation of the provisions of this section is a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or by both.

Ohio
From Codified Ordinances of Zanesville, Ohio, 505.12 COLORING RABBITS OR BABY POULTRY; SALE OR DISPLAY OF POULTRY. (a)    No person shall dye or otherwise color any rabbit or baby poultry, including, but not limited to, chicks and ducklings. No person shall sell, offer for sale, expose for sale, raffle or give away any rabbit or poultry which has been dyed or otherwise colored... (b)     Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

South Carolina
From South Carolina Legislature, '''SECTION 47-1-125. Coloring or dying animals prohibited; sale or distribution of certain young animals prohibited; penalty. ''' (1) It is unlawful for any person to dye or color artificially any animal or fowl, including but not limited to rabbits, baby chickens, and ducklings, or to bring any dyed or colored animal or fowl into this State. (2) It is unlawful for any person to sell, offer for sale or give away as merchandising premiums, baby chickens, ducklings or other fowl under four weeks of age or rabbits under two months of age to be used as pets, toys or retail premiums. (3) This section shall not be construed to apply to any animal or fowl, including but not limited to rabbits, baby chickens and ducklings to be used or raised for agricultural purposes by persons with proper facilities to care for them or for poultry or livestock exhibitions. (4) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.

Tennessee
From West's Tennessee Code Annotated, § 39-14-204. Dyed baby fowl or rabbits (a)(1) It is unlawful for any person to: (A) Sell, offer for sale, barter or give away baby chickens, ducklings or goslings of any age, or rabbits under two (2) months of age, as pets, toys, premiums or novelties, if such fowl or rabbits have been colored, dyed, stained or otherwise had their natural color changed; or (B) Bring or transport such fowl or rabbits into the state for such purposes. (2) This section shall not be construed to prohibit the sale or display of such baby chickens, ducklings, or other fowl or rabbits in proper facilities by breeders or stores engaged in the business of selling for purposes of commercial breeding and raising or laboratory testing. (3) Each such baby chicken, duckling, other fowl or rabbit sold, offered for sale, bartered or given away in violation of this section constitutes a separate offense. (b) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

Wisconsin
From West's Wisconsin Statutes Annotated, 951.10. Sale of baby rabbits, chicks and other fowl (1) No person may sell, offer for sale, barter or give away living chicks, ducklings or other fowl unless the person provides proper brooder facilities for the care of such chicks, ducklings or other fowl during the time they are in the person's possession. (2) No retailer, as defined in s. 100.30(2)(e), may sell, offer for sale, barter or give away living baby rabbits, baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl under 2 months of age in any quantity less than 6 unless in the business of selling these animals for agricultural, wildlife or scientific purposes. 951.11. Artificially colored animals; sale No person may sell, offer for sale, raffle, give as a prize or premium, use as an advertising device or display living chicks, ducklings, other fowl or rabbits that have been dyed or otherwise colored artificially.

Vermont
From Vermont Statutes Online (a) No live animal shall be used as a fund-raising device or award in a contest, lottery, game, or promotion by any person or entity other than at an event recognized by an agricultural or sporting association. An alternative cash prize shall be offered. A person or entity shall not transfer or award an animal without reasonable assurance that the person receiving the animal will provide proper transportation and adequate care. (b) No live fowl, turtles, or rabbits under eight weeks of age in lots of less than six shall be offered for sale or sold, displayed or given away. (c) No dog, puppy, cat, or kitten shall be offered for sale, sold, displayed or given away on the side of any highway, as defined in 19 V.S.A. § 1, except by the owner or lessor of the abutting land. It shall be an affirmative defense under this subsection that a transaction involving a sale or giving away of a dog, puppy, cat, or kitten was previously arranged by the parties, and the sale or giving away on the side of the highway was only for the convenient transfer of the animal. (d) A person who violates this section shall be subject to a fine of not more than $250.00.

Virginia
From Virginia Decoded, § 3.2-6510 Sale of unweaned or certain immature animals prohibited, vaccinations required for dogs and cats; penalty. A. No person shall sell, raffle, give away, or offer for sale as pets or novelties, or offer or give as a prize, premium, or advertising device any living chicks, ducklings, or other fowl under two months old in quantities of less than six or any unweaned mammalian companion animal or any dog or cat under the age of seven weeks without its dam or queen. Dealers may offer immature fowl, unweaned mammalian companion animals, dogs or cats under the age of seven weeks for sale as pets or novelties with the requirement that prospective owners take possession of the animals only after fowl have reached two months of age, mammalian companion animals have been weaned, and dogs and cats are at least seven weeks of age. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the sale, gift, or transfer of an unweaned animal: (i) as food for other animals; (ii) with the lactating dam or queen or a lactating surrogate dam or queen that has accepted the animal; (iii) due to a concern for the health or safety of the unweaned animal; or (iv) to animal control, an animal shelter, or a veterinarian.