Let me see if I can sort this out for those that legal speak just makes your head spin. In a nut shell this is an ordinance that forbids using babies as promotional "Pet" uses. It even has an amendment to it that removes any doubt that it is trying to prevent the legitimate selling of chicks (Babies) for production purposes. I am sure all of you are aware of the problem of chicks and bunnies being sold at Easter time as pets for children, only to be doomed to an inhumane death. this Statute is intended to address that problem specifically. So can you cash in with chicks this Easter? Only if you are willing to commit a Class 3 misdemeanor. Might want to find out what the max fine is for that and see if it still pays.
here is the break down of the actual Statute:
NC General Statutes - Chapter 14 Article 47 1 Article 47 § 14-363.1. (the chapter and article are important in knowing what general activities this Statute is intended to regulate. Chapter 14 is most likely the chapter that deals with animals in general. article 47 probably covers the breeding and selling of animals etc. The 14-363.1 allows you t locate this specific Statute sort of like it's street address)
Living baby chicks or other fowl, or rabbits under eight
weeks of age; disposing of as pets or novelties forbidden. (this is the overall description of the Statute. Sort of lets you know what is int he box without having to open it. So we know that this Statute is in regard to the "disposing of baby animals as Pet or Novelties. And it means just that nothing more nothing less. from here we go into the detailed wording of the Staute that is intended to define it as clearly as possible. in truth this next part is for the use of judges when they are determining cases.
If any person, firm or corporation shall (in plain English, If anyone shall)
sell, or offer for sale, barter or give away as premiums living baby chicks, ducklings, or other fowl or
rabbits under eight weeks of age as pets or novelties, (notice careful that this is saying "Sell as a pet or Novelty, Barter as a pet or Novelty, Trade as a Pet or Novelty any babies under 8 weeks of age. to sell them as livestock does not count as selling as a pet or novelty.
such person, firm or corporation (again anyone shall)
shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.
Provided, that nothing contained in this section shall be construed to
prohibit the sale of nondomesticated species of chicks, ducklings, or
other fowl, or of other fowl from proper brooder facilities by
hatcheries or stores engaged in the business of selling them for
purposes other than for pets or novelties. (let me write this to remove the confusing include everyone no matter what they are called stuff
"Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit the business of selling them for the purposes other than for pets or novelties. In other words it is legal to sell them for any other purpose other than as pets or novelties. and this statute even says so specifically. The only word in the whole thing that concerns me is the addition of Nondomesticated. at the very least this is a safety for anyone selling chicks. It allows the statute to be claimed as confusing and therefor you cannot be expected to know if you are in violation of it. The statute goes from speaking of Living baby chicks or other fowl, or rabbits, to nondomesticated species of chicks, ducklings, or
other fowl, or of other fowl. This is just sloppy writing of the statute and was fixed with that last "or other fowl" this covers chicks.
(1973, c. 466, s. 1; 1985
(Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 967, s. 4; 1993,
c. 539, s. 245; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)