City Council Approves Ban On Sale Of Rabbits As Pets

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The New York City Council voted this week to ban the sale of rabbits as pets.

The bill was approved Wednesday, according to multiple published reports. It still must be signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The website Animal New York reported that pet rabbits have overcrowded city shelters, where owners take them after deciding not to keep them as pets.

New York City Animal Care and Control said it took in 376 rabbits between January and October of this year, compared with 283 rabbits in all of 2011, and 382 in all of 2013, Animal New York said.

"Rabbits are sometimes disappointing especially when you buy them for your child," California-based House Rabbit Society president Margo DeMello was quoted by Reuters. "They're ground-dwelling and they do not want to be held and carried around by a kid."

The bill would not make it illegal to keep rabbits as pets, but would ban their sale within the city limits, according to a New York Post report.

It is part of a package of city legislation that would also regulate aspects of the sale of dogs and cats at pet shops, Animal New York reported.

Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com: