Lake County, IN Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

13 of the Lake County Code sets the operating rules for grooming shops. Division (A) states plainly that "a person owning or operating a grooming shop as defined in this chapter shall obtain a grooming shop permit," putting every commercial groomer in the unincorporated county under a permit requirement administered by Animal Control rather than allowing grooming as an unregulated home business. Division (B) gives the shop owner or operator the right, not just the option, to "request that a dog or cat accepted for grooming be vaccinated against common diseases, including a rabies vaccination, and to require proof of the vaccinations be furnished to the shop owner or operator," so a groomer can turn away or condition service on an unvaccinated animal without violating the county code.

Division (C) requires the operator to "make the grooming shop available for reasonable inspection by Animal Control during normal operating hours," meaning Animal Control officers can walk in and inspect a licensed shop without needing advance notice or a warrant so long as the visit falls within posted hours. 10: an application listing the applicant, the animals involved, and the fee, an annual term expiring March 31, and a durable permit number issued by the facility Animal Control designates.