Do not eat wild animals; do not buy, sell, or keep protected species as pets

14. Do not eat wild animals; do not buy, sell, or keep protected species as pets

Cost: No cost involved. Only purchase pets that are legally sourced and bred in captivity.

In plain terms: If you eat a nationally protected animal, the animal will be confiscated and you will be fined 2 to 20 times its market value. Those who purchase, transport, or sell precious and endangered animals face up to 5 years in prison; repeat offenders may be sentenced to 5 to 10 years. However, this rule does not apply to animals bred in captivity: in one case, three breeders sold over 40 captive-bred rose-ringed parakeets worth less than 400 yuan total, and prosecutors chose not to press charges. This exemption does not cover animals caught in the wild or those with unclear origins.

Benefit: Consuming or purchasing nationally protected wildlife results in confiscation of the animal and a fine of 2 to 20 times its value. Breeding such animals without a permit also leads to confiscation and a fine of 1 to 10 times the animal’s value. Illegal trade of protected species and their products carries up to 5 years in prison and financial penalties; repeat offenders face 5 to 10 years, and those committing especially serious violations may be sentenced to over 10 years. Hunting, buying, transporting, or selling other terrestrial wildlife for consumption is punishable by up to 3 years in prison if done on a large scale. A notable case: in 2021, three breeders sold over 40 captive-bred rose-ringed parakeets (a second-class protected species) worth less than 400 yuan total, and prosecutors decided not to prosecute. Since 2022, China’s top courts have clarified that animals bred in captivity at scale for pet trade generally do not constitute a crime nationwide.

Evidence grade: A

Sources: Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (2022). Wildlife Protection Law (revised in 2022, Articles 31, 51, 53). <https://www.mee.gov.cn/ywgz/fgbz/fl/202302/t20230220_1016885.shtml> (Reprinted by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment); National People's Congress (2020). Criminal Law (Amended in accordance with the Criminal Law Amendment (Eleven), Article 341). <https://jtgl.beijing.gov.cn/jgj/jgxx/flfg/fl/11033925/index.html>; Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (2020). Criminal Law Amendment (Eleven) (Article 41, i.e. Criminal Law, Article 341, Paragraph 3). <https://www.spp.gov.cn/zdgz/202012/t20201227_503682.shtml>; Supreme People's Court of China, Supreme People's Procuratorate of China (2022). Interpretation of Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in Handling Criminal Cases of Damage to Wildlife Resources (Fa Interpretation [2022] No. 12, Article 13). <https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/xwfbh/wsfbt/202204/t20220407_553506.shtml>; Supreme People's Procuratorate of China (2023). Small parrot case, major people's livelihood case. <https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/zdgz/202302/t20230211_601023.shtml>

Notes: The exemption from criminal liability applies only to animals bred in captivity and sold as pets. It does not cover animals caught in the wild or those with unclear origins. The official list of protected species determines eligibility; checking this list before purchase can prevent future legal trouble.