Clayton County, GA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

Clayton County treats every grooming shop as an "animal establishment" under Sec. 14-3, the same category that covers pet shops, kennels, auctions and animal exhibitions. Sec. 14-191(a) makes it unlawful to operate any such business without a permit issued by the county animal control unit, and Sec. 14-191(c) treats every physical location as its own enterprise requiring its own permit, so a groomer running two shops needs two permits. The permit year runs January 1 through December 31; renewal applications are due within 30 days before January 1, and a brand-new shop must apply within five days of opening (Sec.

14-191(b)). The permit must be displayed prominently on the premises (14-191(d)), and holding it does not replace the separate business license required under Sec. 22-26 (14-191(e)). Before issuing a permit, the animal control unit inspects the facility during normal business hours to confirm animals are kept in a humane manner and the shop meets chapter standards (Sec. 14-192(c)); it can also deny a permit in writing, and a rejected applicant must wait at least 30 days to reapply and disclose the earlier denial (14-192(e)). Once issued, a permit can be revoked any time the operator refuses or fails to comply with the chapter, including refusing an inspection (Sec.

14-193(a)); after revocation the county sets a deadline to remove the animals from the premises and can impound them if the owner misses it (14-193(b)). If the shop is separately licensed as a pet shop or commercial kennel and already pays a business license fee, Sec. 14-201(a) exempts it from the extra animal-establishment permit fee, but the operator must show proof of the current business license when applying.