# Is there anywhere where it's against the law to buy animals from a pet shop for food? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 9, 2012, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602 "2012-06-09T10:27:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/21 "2012-06-11T04:31:55Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I believe [grilled is the preferred method of cooking guinea pigs](http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/images/healthy-living-cuy.jpg), and whole is how they’re generally served. I find a lot of deep fried versions represented out there too, but I have to say they look pretty disgusting. This fancy [pan-fried version](http://www.hat.net/album/south_america/peru/01_puno/002_the_cuy_as_dinner.jpg) is probably tasty. (\* I suppose I should also add the disclaimer - Warning: pan-fried guinea pig) ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/22 "2012-06-11T05:39:16Z")
So I just got back from a family friend’s house in the, er, 'sticks. They watch my son for me when I need to be away for a period of time and his nannyshare doesn’t start for another week. ANYWAY. Around Easter, they bought bunnies…and the bunnies procreated…and they’re making bunny soup soon. I had a laugh because I could only imagine the HORROR if they were Dopers. I think rabbits are stupid pets and I didn’t realize they were serious when they talked about the stew! They had a little rabbit coup (pen?) and everything. Poor Flops and Peter. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/23 "2012-06-11T11:52:35Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Note that the law forbids using it for **human** food, but not for pet food. Thus you can buy a mouse to feed to your snake. So if I mince up some pet-shop guinea pigs and feed them to my standard pig I could eat that, savouring the hint of guinea in its offal. ---
**Author:** ![ClintO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@ClintO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ClintO)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/24 "2012-06-12T22:32:27Z")
If you’re a vegan and pro-choice, can you still eat eggs? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/25 "2012-06-12T23:27:13Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > Snip… > > I think the intention of the code is more to prevent mass commercial distribution of pet-like animals to restaurants or exotic food black markets than to curb individuals from eating pet shop animals in private homes. Enforcing the law against individual sales at pet shops would be very difficult and buying pet shop animals for human consumption would be very expensive. But a puppy mill (or guinea pig mill?) would probably be willing to accept a much lower price to sell them in bulk. Are puppy-mills still hand-cranked or do they sell electric ones now? ---
**Author:** ![Victor\_Charlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7ea924/32.png) [@Victor\_Charlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Victor_Charlie)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/26 "2012-06-12T23:56:50Z")
Many people keep pigs as both pets and bacon. I know the potbelly variety isn’t generally on the menu, but still. Also, it’s not illegal in most states (at least I don’t think it is) to eat horses (althought it should be.) I believe it’s still relatively common to eat horse meat in France (another reason to hate the French.) ---
**Author:** ![Victor\_Charlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7ea924/32.png) [@Victor\_Charlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Victor_Charlie)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/27 "2012-06-12T23:57:53Z")
> [@ripopgome](#): > > That’s an interesting angle, what animals are sold both as pets and as food in the US? Anything besides bunnies? Many people keep pigs as both pets and bacon. I know the potbelly variety isn’t generally on the menu, but still. Also, it’s not illegal in most states (at least I don’t think it is) to eat horses (althought it should be.) I believe it’s still relatively common to eat horse meat in France (another reason to hate the French.) ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/28 "2012-06-13T00:01:24Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > Allow me to suggest California Penal Code [598(b)](http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/cacode/PEN/3/1/14/s598b) to get the ball rolling. Interesting statute. I think it could be attacked as void for vagueness under the selective enforcement doctrine if you could show that many animals that are regularly eaten as food (rabbits, geese, whatever) are also “commonly kept as a pet or companion” and the possession of those for consumption is not prosecuted under the statute. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/29 "2012-06-13T00:33:58Z")
> [@Victor\_Charlie](#): > > Also, it’s not illegal in most states (at least I don’t think it is) to eat horses (althought it should be.) There was a federal law against slaughtering horses for human consumption enacted in 2006. It was repealed in 2011. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/30 "2012-06-13T00:37:31Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Interesting statute. I think it could be attacked as void for vagueness under the selective enforcement doctrine if you could show that many animals that are regularly eaten as food (rabbits, geese, whatever) are also “commonly kept as a pet or companion” and the possession of those for consumption is not prosecuted under the statute. I agree. If the law accepts ‘tradition’ as a definition of what defines a pet then it would just require enough people to start keeping pigs and cows as pets and they could prosecute every farm, slaughterhouse and grocery store in the state. Except that 598(c) adds > [@](#): > > (c)This section shall not be construed to interfere with the production, marketing, or disposal of any livestock, poultry, fish, shellfish, or any other agricultural commodity produced in this state. Nor shall this section be construed to interfere with the lawful killing of wildlife, or the lawful killing of any other animal under the laws of this state pertaining to game animals. But there still really seems to be a lot of gray area between the two, like rabbits for example. I have no numbers but it seems as many people probably keep rabbits for pets as there are people who eat them. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/31 "2012-06-13T01:07:52Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > So I just got back from a family friend’s house in the, er, 'sticks. They watch my son for me when I need to be away for a period of time and his nannyshare doesn’t start for another week. ANYWAY. > > Around Easter, they bought bunnies…and the bunnies procreated…and they’re making bunny soup soon. I had a laugh because I could only imagine the HORROR if they were Dopers. I think rabbits are stupid pets and I didn’t realize they were serious when they talked about the stew! They had a little rabbit coup (pen?) and everything. > > Poor Flops and Peter. Of course, you’re entitled to your opinion, but mine is different; I think rabbits are great pets, for the right owners. They’re perfectly smart, trainable and communicative, to the pet owners who take the time to understand them. ([YouTube link to trained rabbits](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgDHWLyztCI).) I say this as someone who has had both pet rabbits, and raised rabbits for the table. There’s not always an either/or. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/32 "2012-06-13T01:19:24Z")
Anyone one else read this thread and think of Micheal Moore and “Pets or Meat”? ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/33 "2012-06-13T02:04:27Z")
I have no idea if there is a law in Canada forbidding someone from buying a guinea pig and eating it, though I can’t imagine it’s a very economical source of meat. Last time I was in a pet store, they were about $20 each. On the other hand, I suppose someone could invest in a pair and start breeding and raising the offspring for meat. There are lots of animals that I would not eat because I see them as pets. I no longer eat chicken because I had them as pets, but I have no objection to others eating chicken. I would hope that anyone raising any animal as a meat source does so at every stage in a humane manner. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/34 "2012-06-13T02:25:57Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > A conversation with some South American friends turned to the subject of cuy and how it was unavailable in the US. Three blocks from our house in Minneapolis, MN is a restaurant that has a rotisserie with cuy on it. And that’s not the only place that serves it locally. So it is available in the US. /I had it when I was in Peru, once in my life was good enough. //Hated seeing the teeth on its fried open mouth. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/35 "2012-06-13T02:47:34Z")
Links to 2 Peruvian murals where there’s a roasted/grilled cuy on the table in front of Jesus at the last supper: The first one is from 1753, it’s in Cusco cathedral [![](https://hope4thehapless.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/cuy.jpg) ](https://hope4thehapless.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/cuy.jpg) And this looks like a modern mural in a school in Cusco; > **[The Last Supper | Paul & Stephanie's Sabbatical in Peru](https://www.offexploring.com/coltveterdmann/albums/huchuy-runa/10263691)** > > Off Exploring is an easy to use travel blog where you can capture and share your travel experiences, and get a printed travel journal of your trip. ---
**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/36 "2012-06-13T14:30:45Z")
I would think the reason there may be laws outlawing eating animals from pet stores isn’t “OMG, but they’re PETS and they’re CUTE!”, but because they weren’t raised for human consumption. They have not had specific diets and may have been exposed to certain medications that may make them unsafe. But hey, bring 'em home, breed 'em, monitor what you feed them, and cuy for all! This is why it’s against the law to slaughter horses for human consumption in the US. Whereas countries such as Japan have breeds they specifically rear for slaughter, horses slaughtered in the US are basically rejected pets that have unknown histories by the time they go to slaughter (when it was legal). As horses get worming paste, vaccinations, liniments, and a host of medications for various reasons throughout their life…yeah, not USDA safe. FWIW, I’m a horseowner and have loved horses all my life, and I have no more philosophical problem with people eating horses than I do people eating cows, as long as they are clean and safe and humane about it. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/37 "2012-06-15T19:25:10Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Are puppy-mills still hand-cranked or do they sell electric ones now? Get real. Everything’s green these days. A modern[puppy mill](http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tqpeiffer/Documents/Ancestral%20Locations%20Gallery%20-%20USA/SEVIER%20CO.,%20TN/full/Old%20Mill,%20Pigeon%20Forge,%20Tennessee.jpg) will be located by a river or stream and use safe, sustainable hydro power. A quality establishment will let you select a grind that suits your personal preference. I understand that a finer paste is what you want for those puffy under-eye areas. As usual, the French are way ahead of the rest of us regarding cosmetics. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/38 "2012-06-16T04:20:27Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > Links to 2 Peruvian murals where there’s a roasted/grilled cuy on the table in front of Jesus at the last supper: > The first one is from 1753, it’s in Cusco cathedral > [HOPE for the HAPLESS: Image](http://hope4thehapless.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/cuy.jpg) Is that guy to the right of center choking a guinea pig under the table or is he just glad to be there? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2015, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602/39 "2015-12-19T03:04:05Z")
LOL, that must be Judas holding the money bag, probably made of leather. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-where-its-against-the-law-to-buy-animals-from-a-pet-shop-for-food/624602.md?page=1)