Putnam County, FL Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Putnam County Code §45-72(e)(9)
- Requirement in AG district
- Special use permit required
- Covered activity
- Raising, breeding, grooming pets or exotic animals
- Excluded from rule
- Livestock and poultry not covered
- Commercial district alternative
- Falls under Services use, §45-46(b)
Summary
Running a pet-grooming or breeding operation on agriculture-zoned land in unincorporated Putnam County takes a special use permit. Section 45-72(e)(9) lists "raising, breeding and/or grooming of household pets or exotic animals other than livestock or Poultry" among the uses the AG district allows only after that discretionary permit, distinct from the ordinary "Services" category that covers grooming in commercial districts.
(e)Certain uses that require a special use permit to locate in an AG district.(1)Bed and breakfast(2)Child and adult day care(3)Group home having seven or more residents(4)Religious facility (equal to or greater than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area)(5)Religious facility (less than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area) on a county road that is not a "minor collector" or higher roadway functional classification(6)Migrant farm labor camp, which shall be defined herein as provided in F.S. § 381.008(7)Borrow areas greater than one-eighth of an acre(8)Kennel(9)Raising, breeding and/or grooming of household pets or exotic animals other than livestock or Poultry
Full Breakdown
Section 45-72, the agriculture (AG) zoning district, allows general agricultural uses by right but treats commercial pet care differently. Subsection (e)(9) requires a special use permit for "Raising, breeding and/or grooming of household pets or exotic animals other than livestock or Poultry," grouping it with other uses the county treats as needing individual review on AG land, including kennels under 45-72(e)(8), outdoor shooting ranges, communication towers and cemeteries. That special use permit process runs through the development review procedures in article XII of the Land Development Code, referenced generally in section 45-71(d), and any use not listed as allowed by right or by special use permit in a given district is prohibited under section 45-71(e) unless the planning director finds it fits by reasonable implication and is similar to an explicitly allowed use.
Outside the AG district, a pet-grooming business run as a standalone commercial service falls under the "Services" use category defined in section 45-46(b), which covers "all uses where the primary activity is the provision of services to the public," and is treated the same as any other service use in whichever commercial district it locates, without the AG district's special-permit trigger. A groomer therefore faces a materially different approval path depending on whether the property sits in the AG district or a commercial district like C-1 or C-2.
Violations & Fines
Operating a pet grooming, breeding or exotic-animal-raising business on AG-zoned land without first obtaining the section 45-72(e)(9) special use permit is a use not authorized by the Land Development Code, enforced as a code violation before the special magistrate under Chapter 2, which can order the use discontinued or brought into compliance and assess civil penalties for continued noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run a dog grooming business on my agriculture-zoned property?
Does the AG district permit rule apply to grooming livestock?
Do I need the same permit for a grooming shop in a commercial district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Putnam County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Putnam County to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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