The Parrot Society UK

PSUK Sales regulations and conditions. 

The Parrot Society UK considers the welfare of the birds to be paramount. 

Owing to some sellers openly breaching the law at other bird sales across the UK, and the risk this poses on our events, the Trustees have decided the following will apply:  

1. All those selling birds at our shows and events need to comply with the following legislation: - 

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals – LAIA) Act 2018
The Pet Shop Act 1951 as amended
The Charities Act 2022
Defra regulations
Data Protection requirements

2. It is unlawful for holders of an Animal Activities Licence (AAL) to trade on premises that are not covered by their licence. Therefore, bird traders or pet shop licence holders will not be permitted to book sales tables. As The Parrot Society UK cannot hold an Animal Activities Licence, then strictly no pet birds or birds intended for pets can be sold at the sales day. Moreover, all birds should remain in their cages until exchange, and not displayed free on stands or on top of cages. Macaws can only be sold from aviaries 6 feet long x 6 feet high x 3 feet wide.

3. A representative of Staffordshire County Council specialising in Animal Welfare will be present at the sales day and has full jurisdiction to report and prosecute anyone in breach of the regulations. If a table holder is found to be a trader, they will be required to leave the event, and the Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards officer will notify the Council in whose area their premises are licensed. Additionally, the offending person will be expelled from membership of the Parrot Society UK.

4. All persons offering birds for sale at the event must comply with the Animal Welfare regulations, in particular the provision of food, water and suitable housing. All cages used for displaying birds should be clean and of the correct size and be appropriate for the species. Box cages preferably should be painted, both inside and outside. (See Exhibition Cages )Macaws must be kept in an aviary and not in cages. No more than two birds per cage will be allowed, with the exception of small foreign finches, which may be sold as a trio.

5. All birds MUST be in good health, good feather and fully weaned. There will be a qualified veterinary surgeon experienced in exotic and avian practice present at the event, who will visually check birds and has the right to withdraw any bird, which in their opinion is not fit for sale. Failure to comply with this will result in the seller being required to leave the event, and their details will be passed to the trustees.

6. The sale of birds is strictly prohibited in the car parking area. This is illegal and offenders will be required to provide their details to the Staffordshire County Council officer with a view to reporting the person concerned for the consideration of a prosecution.

7. Non-members will be limited to one sales table each, and PSUK members allocated tables at the discretion of the Society. Cages must not be stacked precariously or unsafely. Birds must not be placed on the floor under the table.

8. Strictly, no pet birds or birds intended for pets are permitted, all birds should remain in their sales cages until exchange takes place, and not be displayed free on stands, or on top of cages, or walked around the sales floor on the seller’s shoulder.

9. No domesticated pigeons or ornamental garden doves (fantails etc.) are permitted, as these are often free flying birds.

10. Exotic foreign pigeons and doves such as fruit doves, ground doves and zebra doves will be permitted as these are aviary birds, provided that they are properly caged in a box cage of adequate size. 

11. Aviary Quail such as Chinese Painted and Bob Whites will be permitted, the exception being Corturnix Japanese Quail, which are often kept on the same premises as poultry so therefore not allowed to be sold due to the increased risk of Avian Influenza.

12. All waterfowl, poultry and birds of prey are not permitted.

13. No birds whatsoever can be transported from an area designated as an exclusion area by Defra when an outbreak of Avian Influenza is detected. This is so important that anyone breaching this requirement will be reported to the County Council Trading Standards officer for action they may wish to take as well as being reported to the trustees.

14. All British birds must be close rung as per the law.

15. No person under the age of sixteen can be left in charge of any sales table. 

16. Transfer aviaries are provided for moving birds between cages. These must be used to avoid escapes.

17. The PSUK Table Schedule form must be prepopulated with all birds being brought in to the event for sale, exchange or pre-arranged collection. The form is crucial to our licence and is mandatory for all sellers. 

18. The PSUK Table Schedule form must be clearly populated with ring identification, or microchip details for every bird (if applicable) to help facilitate traceability.

19. Any bird requiring an Article 10 CITES certificate must have that certificate with the bird and said certificate must be presented for inspection on request.

20. Recently imported birds must not offered for sale. (These are generally identifiable).

21. Those selling birds must record the details of each and every bird sold on the PSUK Table Schedule form. Sellers must clearly record the buyer's information: name, address and contact telephone number, or record the buyer's PSUK Membership number. If a buyer does not want to provide their personal details directly to the seller, then the buyer can purchase a Buyer’s Card with a unique number (and this number can be presented to the seller for them to record it on the PSUK Table Schedule form)

22. Buyer’s Cards have been introduced by the Parrot Society as a means for buyers to remain anonymous to the sellers but allow for the transaction to be recorded on the PSUK Table Schedule form. This facility means that breeders and keepers can keep their address a secret (to minimise thefts) but also provide the PSUK details to comply with the requirements of Defra and the General Data Protection Regulations.

23. The Buyer’s cards are unique to each event and are available for a nominal fee of £1.00 from the PSUK Stand on the day of the sales event. Proof of ID will be required from non-members and contact details recorded in line with General Data Protection Regulations.

24. The completed PSUK Table Schedule form must be handed in to the PSUK stand before the seller leaves the event. Failure to hand in the Schedule form may well result in offenders not being able to book tables for future events. This is to comply with regulations from Defra regarding bird traceability.

25. Due to the illegal importation of some foreign birds, a disclosure notice must be completed prior to the sales day listing the species with a certification that the birds offered for sale have been in the possession of the seller for at least three months, or are bred by the breeder in the U.K. 

26. All purchasers must be aware of the Animal Welfare regulations in respect of transporting birds they have purchased and must be mindful of not overcrowding transportation cages and providing food and water for their purchases.

27. All purchasers must be over the age of sixteen.

28. Anyone attempting to buy birds without supplying their name and address, or their PSUK membership number, or their unique Buyer’s Card number will be prohibited from buying or selling birds at future sales days.