Nationwide, animal rights activists are trying to push animal welfare laws through that will severely restrict or prevent the breeding and sale of rabbits. As advocates of food freedom, we need to speak up when the government tries to take away our constitutional rights. We need to be aware of these laws and fight them.
In New York, a bill was recently proposed that defines anyone who sells more than 9 rabbits a year as a breeder and subjects them to numerous restrictions and regulations. Click to read more about Bill S3651.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
-Edmund Burke
If you live in New York, please go to nysenate.gov and vote against this bill. Then encourage fellow rabbit-raisers and organizations to do the same. Let’s create a wave of opposition and shoot this bill down before it goes any further.
Here’s a copy of the letter I wrote to my Senator and the Consumer Protection Committee, explaining why I’m opposed to this bill. You’re welcome to use some or all of it to battle unfair laws in your state:
A new bill (S3651) was proposed in January that seeks to strictly regulate the care and breeding of cats, dogs, and rabbits. I feel this bill is unnecessarily restrictive to dog and cat breeders, but adding rabbits to this bill is a grave mistake.
Feel-good pet owners pushing this bill believe “Every animal should be treated like a human being and be given a spacious, climate-controlled pet home with proper vet care and enrichment.” These folks want to blame rabbit breeders for animal cruelty when in fact it’s inexperienced pet owners that are the cause of the problem.
This bill sounds good on the surface, but in reality, it will cause an avalanche of stress, seizures, inhumane treatment, expense, and senseless euthanasia. As someone who’s been raising meat rabbits for over 12 years to feed my family and pets, allow me to shed some light on this subject.
Are you ready? Then let’s dive in…
Food for People
By divine design, rabbits are at the bottom of the food chain. They’ve been food for animals and people since the dawn of time. As food-producing animals, rabbits should be classified as livestock and not subjected to unreasonable regulations imposed by well-meaning pet people.
Yes, rabbits can be kept as pets, but that’s not their purpose. Hundreds of breeders all over the state raise them for meat to feed their families and pets. Rabbits are easy to raise and provided healthy meat to many struggling families during the Great Depression.
Then commercial meat operations began producing beef, pork, and chicken on a large scale. With a ready supply of meat in the grocery store, Americans forgot about eating rabbits. But today, with rising food costs, concerns about animals treatment in commercial operations, and tainted pet food recalls, meat rabbits are making a big comeback.
The right to feed ourselves (by raising plants and animals) is a basic human right. Laws allowing the government to seize another’s property violates our constitutional rights by enabling theft and plunder.
Food for Pets
Dogs and cats eat meat, and rabbit is highly sought after for that purpose.
There’s a huge market for rabbit with pet owners who feed their pets a raw diet. Many dogs become allergic to commercial chicken and beef and need to eat a novel protein like rabbit instead. These pet owners depend on rabbit meat or their pet would starve. Rabbit is also an important feed for reptiles and zoo animals.
In fact, many shelters, zoos, and animal rescues raise meat rabbits to help feed the animals in their care. These are kind-hearted people who understand the circle of life. Something must die for other creatures to live.
Rabbit Breeders
Homesteaders and meat rabbit breeders are good stewards of their rabbits. They take time to educate themselves, purchase quality stock, and selectively breed to improve health, vigor, and type. Most can perform basic medical care and dispatch them humanely.
Rabbits are an integral part of the homesteads they live in. Their amazing manure is used to fertilize gardens which grow nutrient rich herbs, greens, and forage for the rabbits. Giving them vibrant health that can’t be compared to animals only fed processed pellets.
Hobbyists, 4-H, and FFA
Rabbits are a great gateway livestock for young farmers. Raising rabbits teaches important principles of animal husbandry, care, breeding, and the circle of life. Meat rabbits are raised with care and given a fast humane death, far more than can be said for rabbits in the wild.
Many children and youth enjoy showing rabbits though 4-H, FFA, and county fairs. They sell meat pens and quality breeding stock to others to offset their costs. Meat rabbits are also a popular retirement hobby for seniors to increase their health, diet, and mental wellbeing.
There are currently 60 different rabbit breeds that will slip into extinction without breeders actively raising them for meat, manure, fun, and fancy: https://arba.net/recognized-breeds/
This law would seriously hurt youth breeders, 4-H rabbit programs, FFA (Future Farmers of America), ARBA members (American Rabbit Breeders Association), and retired seniors by making it illegal and cost prohibitive to raise rabbits.
The “pet” rabbit problem
In contrast, most pet rabbit owners do little to no research before getting rabbits. They see a cute bunny and buy it. They pick up a cage and do some quick reading online (on websites such as the House Rabbit Society) which tell them their rabbit will be lonely without a companion. So they get a second rabbit…
Since rabbits can be difficult to sex, their two “girls” often end up being a pair. They breed. The doe (female rabbit) gives birth and the male breeds her right after birth. Once the owners discover the first litter the female is already rebred. They separate the buck (male rabbit) and are surprised and exasperated when a second litter is born 4 weeks later.
The pet owner now has 12-24 bunnies that must be separated by 3 months or they’ll start breeding or fighting. They list the bunnies for sale in hopes of rehoming them, but only 1 or 2 actually find homes. Now they have cages stuffed with fighting hormonal rabbits, some of which may be bred. Humane societies won’t accept them. They don’t have the heart to eat them. It’s a terrible situation. They are desperate…
“Breed like Rabbits”
Rabbits are genetically made to reproduce. While this seems like a big problem from an animal rights standpoint, it’s actually a blessing if they’re used for their original purpose – to provide food for people and pets.
I’ve rescued and rehomed many rabbits over the years. These rabbits always came from desperate pet owners. Many of these rabbits were grossly obese from being fed the wrong diet or too many treats. They were literally killing them with kindness. The rabbits had to be put on diets before being rehomed.
The worst case I saw was an accidental litter where littermates that had been kept together too long. They had ripped ears, eye infections, and multiple cuts/abscesses from fighting. The most humane thing to do was cull them humanely to end their suffering. The meat and parts were then fed to our raw-fed dog. Nothing went to waste.
Cons of Required Veterinary Treatment
Most veterinarians don’t treat rabbits or are very inexperienced with them. I don’t know of any reputable vets for meat rabbits. Veterinarians treat all rabbits like pets and charge a mandatory $60-$80 new patient fee before they’ll even look at a rabbit. Then treatment/med fees are on top of that.
Meat rabbit raisers usually take care of minor issues themselves or cull the rabbit if it’s something serious. A badly injured rabbit can be dispatched humanely in seconds. Instant lights out. The meat and organs can then be used to feed dogs or cats as part of a nutritious raw diet. The remaining parts (head, ears, feet, hide) can be dried and fed as chews. Nothing goes to waste.
To require rabbit breeders to utilize the services of a vet is a huge disservice to all involved. First, injured rabbits are left suffering in agony. Second, you can’t just pay a vet to euthanize a rabbit. For a vet to even look at a rabbit, they require an appointment and new patient fee. At the appointment, they’ll evaluate the rabbit, then if they decide to put it down, the owner must pay for euthanasia and disposal on top of the initial cost. If they decide the rabbit can be treated, they’ll refuse euthanasia and recommend a full course of treatment instead.
Needlessly adding the stress of travel to an animal that’s already suffering is cruel. A bill like this would do just that. Not to mention the prohibitive cost for the owner and the inconvenience for the vet to have to squeeze in emergency visits on top of an already packed schedule… and the meat is wasted.
Humane Society Implications
Most active breeders have 30-100 rabbits at any given time, especially if they raise multiple breeds.
In the case of seizure (confiscating stock from someone who doesn’t meet the rules of the new law), where will the rabbits go? Why, a local rescue of course…
But here’s the problem: Very few humane societies accept rabbits.
How many rescue organizations do you know that are trained in rabbit handling, care, and have 50-100 rabbit cages in a quiet area away from dogs?
Rabbits are prey animals, terrified of barking dogs, strange noises, and locations. They have a strong fight or flight instinct. Scared rabbits will bolt and can break their neck. Very few people are trained in how to handle rabbits correctly. Incorrect handling leads to serious cuts/scrapes, the rabbit getting dropped, or dislocated backs from struggling.
Rabbits cannot be combined for transport or they will fight – causing injury, paralysis, or death. All female rabbits (does) should be assumed pregnant, especially if kept or transported with other rabbits. They must be quarantined for at least 40 days and given a proper nesting box and facilities to raise a litter, if pregnant.
Then, once in their care, comes the burden of treating injuries, castration, and finding them homes, or euthanizing. This opens up another huge can of worms…
Not all rabbits make good pets
Meat rabbits are selectively bred for production, not temperament. Large breed rabbits weigh 10-15 pounds at maturity and produce a lot of waste. Trying to rehome them as house pets is bad for all involved.
Some rabbits can be downright aggressive. Does (female rabbits) get hormonal mood swings, pull fur and can be very destructive when the nesting urge strikes. Bucks (male rabbits) are notorious for spraying urine. And many rabbits have broken their backs from slipping on smooth floors in houses.
Not all rabbits are suitable for breeding or keeping for pets. Inferior rabbits belong in the stewpot. For example, a rabbit with malocclusion (bad teeth) should be culled humanely rather than slowly dying of starvation in a pet home.
The Cost of Rescuing Rabbits
A law like this would be catastrophic to animal rescue and humane societies.
For each rabbit “rescued” they must be transported in an individual carrier and given one cage. Does must be quarantined for at least 40 days to ensure they aren’t pregnant. If the rabbit is injured, the cost of medical treatment or euthanasia and disposal of the body come into play.
If “rescued” rabbits have to be put down, they could at least go to feed the other carnivores in their care – but animal rights activists would be appalled if word got out. Forget the fact that hundreds of animals are killed to feed their beloved dog or cat. They’re just too disconnected from the big picture to see the real effect of their feel-good intentions.
Instead, rescue organizations must cover the cost of euthanasia and cremation as well. Humane societies can’t possibly charge enough to cover the costs required to transport, house, castrate, and care for rabbits before adoption.
Anyone want to adopt a 12 pound flighty white New Zealand rabbit for $250? … Anyone?
Which leads us to a final concern…
Rabbit Castration
No humane society is going to rehome rabbits without spaying/neutering them first.
Rabbit castration is very expensive and risky. As stated above, very few vets treat rabbits. Many say they do, but actually don’t have a clue. Rabbits are very sensitive to anesthetics and can seizure and break their back when coming out of anesthesia if not properly immobilized. I personally know of 2 healthy young rabbits that died during castration at a vet. The owners still needed to pay for the surgery (plus the cost of cremation) on top of losing their beloved pet.
Even if you can find a rabbit-savvy vet you are looking at $60-$80 for a new patient fee and $200-$300 for castration.
Oh, and by the way, male rabbits have been known to sire litters up to 6 weeks after being castrated.
According to the Rabbit Welfare Association: “Male rabbits aren’t sterile immediately after castration (mature sperm may have already left the testicles and can live a surprisingly long time!), so keep him away from unspayed adult females for up to six weeks after his operation.” ( https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/neutering-castration-and-spaying/ )
So humane societies should wait at least 6 weeks after castration before putting them up for adoption. Otherwise, they get to deal with the waves of unwanted litters that result.
Conclusion
A law like this is designed to make everyone who raises animals a criminal and results in senseless animal seizures which stresses/injures animals, overwhelms local humane societies, pushes unsuitable animals into pet homes, bankrupts rescue agencies, subjects thousands of rabbits to risky unnecessary operations, and causes countless animals to be euthanized and cremated (at high cost to the humane societies). Thus wasting their meat and lives. That’s a lot of cruelty with zero benefit.
Or, you can throw out this bill and let the people who care about their animals continue to raise them for the purpose they were designed for. And let animal shelters continue to focus their efforts on rehabilitating and rehoming animals from actual cases of neglect and abuse.
Too many rabbits is never a problem for those who know how to utilize them.
Thanks for your time and consideration of this important matter.
Are there any unfair rabbit laws in your state or do you know of any proposed animal rights laws? Please share below…
I used chat gpt for this form.
Feel free to use this template to send an email to the representatives.
Subject: Opposition to Rabbit Breeder Licensing Bill – Overregulation of Small-Scale Homesteaders
Dear Senator [Insert Name],
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed legislation that would categorize anyone selling more than nine rabbits per year as a “breeder” and impose excessive regulatory burdens similar to those for dog and cat breeders.
This bill is deeply concerning for small-scale farmers, homesteaders, and hobby breeders who are not operating commercial-scale breeding operations but are simply contributing to food sovereignty, sustainable agriculture, and rural livelihoods. Treating rabbit breeders the same as large-scale pet breeders is not only inappropriate, it’s a misalignment of regulatory priorities and a potential death knell for small operations.
Under this bill, small rabbit producers would be required to:
• Retain a veterinarian for ongoing care
• Write a detailed preventative health care plan
• Provide climate-controlled housing and dual access to indoor and outdoor spaces
• Conduct genetic testing and dental work
• Adhere to restrictions on retired breeding stock
• Attend recurring government-mandated training
These requirements are not feasible — financially or logistically — for homesteaders who may only raise a small number of rabbits for meat, manure, or local sale. The legislation also fails to consider that rabbits, unlike dogs and cats, are livestock in many households and should be regulated differently based on scale and purpose.
Government should support self-reliant, sustainable living — not burden it with regulations better suited for commercial pet industries. Small farms and homesteads are already struggling under increasing costs and red tape. This bill, though perhaps well-intentioned, threatens the very core of grassroots agriculture in New York.
Please vote NO on this bill and stand up for the rights of small-scale rabbit breeders and homesteaders who are responsibly raising animals as part of a diversified, sustainable lifestyle.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[City, State]
[Optional: Contact Info]
I left a comment and wrote my senator. Here is what I sent in case it helps others find their words.
I’m writing to express deep concern regarding the proposed legislation in New York State that seeks to regulate or restrict the sale of rabbits under the same framework as cats and dogs. As a service-connected disabled veteran and lifelong rabbit farmer, I can say unequivocally: this bill is not about animal welfare—it’s about limiting citizen freedom and dismantling one of the most accessible, sustainable, and ethical food sources available to working families and homesteaders.
This bill fails to distinguish between pet commerce and food sovereignty.
Rabbits have been raised for food, fiber, and fertilizer for centuries. Unlike cats and dogs, rabbits are already legally classified as livestock by the USDA, and are included under the 9 CFR 354 Voluntary Rabbit Inspection Program—a livestock standard. In Europe and other parts of the world, rabbit is a culturally accepted meat. In the United States, it’s used in farm-to-table restaurants, homesteads, and communities seeking clean, local alternatives to corporate meat.
Why would we regulate small-scale rabbit farmers but not feeder mice, snakes, chickens, or even cows?
This bill draws arbitrary lines without scientific or economic justification. Its wording places an undue burden on ethical rabbit breeders—many of whom are feeding their own families or selling to neighbors who want to opt out of factory farming and overpriced grocery stores. If the goal is to crack down on irresponsible breeding, then the legislation should target irresponsibility, not the animal.
As a disabled veteran, rabbits were the only thing that kept me fed when I could no longer work.
I suffer from a chronic condition that makes conventional employment impossible. I raise rabbits for meat and manure—quietly, ethically, on a small piece of land. I don’t have the capacity or the desire to scale this to a commercial level. I don’t breed for volume, I breed for survival. Rabbits have offered me self-reliance, dignity, and a chance to give back by helping others grow their food systems.
This bill turns that hope into a liability.
Instead of encouraging resilience, the state is penalizing people like me—those trying to build solutions from the ground up. I work with farmers, homesteaders, and even restaurant chefs who want locally raised, sustainable meat options. If this law passes, thousands of responsible citizens will be forced to either operate in the shadows or give up altogether, while imported rabbit meat from countries with lower welfare standards continues flowing in without question.
Let’s talk sustainability:
Rabbits produce a low-carbon meat alternative—requiring far less land, water, and energy than beef or pork.
Their manure enriches soil, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
They are ideal for small urban, suburban, and rural farms.
And they provide food access to communities left behind by industrial agriculture.
Instead of criminalizing food resilience, why not support it?
This bill places unnecessary hardship on:
Disabled veterans
Low-income families
Minority farmers
People with autoimmune or health conditions who rely on clean meat
Homesteaders producing less than 100 pounds of meat a year
These aren’t industrial operations—they’re lifelines.
If you’re truly committed to animal welfare and public health, partner with us. Don’t destroy the bridge between survival and sovereignty for people already on the edge.
Please oppose this legislation and protect New Yorkers’ right to feed themselves.
With respect and resolve,
Amanda M.
Service-Connected Disabled Veteran
Founder, Hive 315 Collective
Ontario, NY