Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everybody, howareya?
I'm just curious, I've never seen this issue discussed here, and my wife brings up this subject often. Has anybody ever checked with city officials, i.e. Humane society, Heath Dept, etc. about if it's legal in their town or city to breed hundreds of rats in their garages or homes? Sometimes I open my garage door to air it out while I'm working out there and I worry about neighbors popping in and seeing all those rats and freaking out while I try to explain to them how clean, safe and humane my project is(leaving out the part of what happens to them eventually) many of them don't understand it. Just wondered what you guys put up with and most importantly, is it legal? Thanks!
John

Best way to find out if breeding rodents is legal in your city/state is to check online at the state/city website, local humane society or ministry of fish and wildlife office.
If nothing is mentioned, then there is a good chance there isn't any laws or bylaws against it.

If you are selling the rodents, there may be a need for a buisness license but I think this only applies if you make a certain amount of money per year, and thus, need to pay income taxes and/or charge state/federal tax. In Canada I beleive you are allowed to make a certain amount before you must get a business lisence and charge appropriate taxes.

Another thing you could so, is cover the 'offending' cages with a tarp or hang a curtain so passerbys can't see into your garage.

Hubby and I lived in a rental house when I first got into snakes and eventually mice to feed the snakes. We had hte NOSIEST neighbor. One day I got a new mouse rack, and she wanted to know what it was. I just said "Some furniture" I didn't really want to deal with it. (This neighbor once almost ran down another neighbor for using profanity and then had the victim arrested!). In her fury over us not TELLING her what we were doing with the furniture she called the town inspectors saying how badly our entire house reeked of mouse droppings etc. (She would sit out during the day, next to the trash, and on mouse cleaning days would get a good whiff of mouse droppings... from the trash!). Well he came by and found her accusations unfounded (he sniffed in the mail slot and smelled nothing.) We were so happy when our several-year quest for a house of our own was finally satisfied. I did have the forethought to contact the person in charge and ask.... learned I couldn't have chickens, hooved critters, or more than 10 bunny rabbits. So much for my chicken and goats It's okay though, because there was nothing about mice or rats. And we did NOT move into an existing homeowner's association. Down the road from us is a cattery. So it turned out okay. I worry sometimes that they might change the laws, but the town i live in is very old, as is the neighborhood. These people have been doing things their own way for 50 years in my housing development... nobody is going to successfully tell them what they must do... until/unless they condemn the entire neighborhood.
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~Sasheena

John,
Not everyone is going to enjoy your snakes and mice as you do. I have sold snakes to most of the kids in my neighborhood and now sell them mice, so everyone is aware of what I am doing. I haven't had any problems but the potential is certainly there.

In our city, it is against city ordences to have more than 50 pets in a residential area. Well I've got several thousand mice in my garage and a couple hundred snakes in my house. (We won't even count the Chameleons and crickets). If someone really got nasty about it, they could probably make me get rid of them.

In our city, if you are buying or selling anything, it requires a city business license. This would go along with sales tax certificates, income tax forms and make the whole thing unrealistic. If the income is low you may not need to pay taxes but you still have to file every year.

I think it would be better by far to keep a low profile and keep your mouth shut. It is easier to beg forgiviness than it is to get permission.
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Wade's Weptiles & Wodents