Pet Rabbits Must Be Microchipped, City Council Decides

Pet rabbits in Los Angeles must be microchipped under a policy adopted by the Los Angeles City Council today.

The City Attorney was instructed draft an amended ordinance to reflect the requirement approved 13-0 by the council.

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The cost of adopting a rabbit will go up from $56 to $71 in order to include the $15 microchipping fee. The costs include the $16 adoption fee, a $40 deposit for spaying or neutering, and the expense of microchipping the rabbit.

The microchipping will help city animal shelters reunite stray rabbits with their owners, as well as help the Animal Services Department identify animal hoarders, those who abandon their pets, and people who keep their pets in poor conditions.

The revenue from microchipping rabbits will be transferred to the Electronic Animal Identification Device Revolving Fund, which is transferred into the city’s general fund at the end of each year. Last year, 918 rabbits were adopted in Los Angeles, according to city records. Officials said the amount of rabbit microchipping revenue transferred to city’s general fund would be minimal.

--City News Service

PHOTO Patch file photo.

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