Union County, NC Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

020-2 of the Unified Development Ordinance places 'Grooming' inside the Animal Service use category, defined as dog bathing and clipping salons and pet grooming shops for dogs, cats and similar small animals, and expressly excludes overnight boarding or outdoor animal runs or kennels from that definition. The same use category separately lists 'Boarding or Shelter' for breeding, boarding, care or training services including kennels, pet resorts and rescue shelters, and 'Veterinary' for animal hospitals and clinics. A grooming operation that starts keeping animals overnight or adds outdoor runs is no longer 'Grooming' under the code; it falls under the stricter Boarding or Shelter line instead.

100-A. Accessory uses like a home-based grooming operation are instead governed by Article 35's accessory-use standards. 020, and any use, building or sign installed without the required permit is a listed violation regardless of which permit track applies.