Proposed San Francisco Bird Sales Ban Would Hurt Responsible Small Businesses

The proposed ban on small animal and bird sales being floated by the San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare is misguided and would seriously harm small, family-run pet stores that have responsibly served San Francisco for decades. 

At a time when San Francisco city leaders are trying to revitalize neighborhood commercial corridors and preserve independent small businesses, this ordinance would do the opposite. It would place yet another burden on longstanding local businesses already struggling with rising costs, post-COVID recovery, and the city’s affordability crisis. 

The Animal Company is one of only a handful of independent pet stores remaining in the city. San Francisco and California already prohibit the sale of commercially bred dogs, cats, and rabbits — the animals most commonly associated with large-scale breeding operations. 

The only live animals we sell are birds such as conures, parakeets and cockatiels, sourced from small independent California breeders who we have known for years, not mass-production facilities. 

We receive many of these birds as chicks and hand-raise them ourselves, feeding them throughout the day and night until they are fully weaned. We take them home every night during this process so we can monitor their health, socialize them, and understand their personalities and behavior. This hands-on care allows us to educate customers and helps ensure successful, long-term homes for these birds. 

We also take in birds surrendered by owners who can no longer care for them, helping ensure they are placed in safe and knowledgeable homes. 

We support customers long after a bird is purchased through grooming, boarding, nutrition guidance, and ongoing care advice. At any given time, we typically have 10 to 20 birds available. These are not high-volume operations — they are carefully raised companion birds.

Birds are important companion animals for many San Franciscans, especially people in apartments, seniors, and families. Banning these sales will not stop people from wanting birds. It will simply push customers to online sellers, unregulated breeders, and stores outside San Francisco, shifting business and customer loyalty out of the city. 

We support humane treatment, responsible breeding, and high standards of animal care. But banning responsible local pet stores is not the answer. We urge city leaders to work collaboratively with ethical pet stores, veterinarians, rescues, and animal welfare experts to create policies that truly protect animals without destroying small businesses that are already providing responsible care every day.

— The Animal Company, May 16, 2026