Atlanta, GA Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Retail sale of dogs/cats
- Prohibited citywide
- Adoption-only model
- Shelters/rescues only
- Minimum age for adoption
- 8 weeks
- Fine per violation
- $500 minimum, per animal
- Governing law
- Atlanta Code § 18-212–18-214
Summary
Atlanta pet shops cannot sell dogs or cats at all: they may only host adoptions from shelters and rescues, per City Code § 18-212.
A pet shop shall not sell, deliver, offer for sale, barter, auction, or otherwise dispose of dogs or cats. Nothing in this section shall prevent a pet shop from providing space and appropriate care for dogs or cats offered for adoption and owned by an animal care facility or an animal rescue organization.(b)A pet shop shall not offer for adoption any dog or cat which is younger than eight weeks old.(c)Each dog or cat sold, delivered, offered for sale, bartered, auctioned, or otherwise disposed of in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense. Each dog or cat offered for adoption which is younger than eight weeks old shall constitute a separate offense. (Ord. No. 2018-55(18-O-1655), § 1, 11-14-18)
Full Breakdown
Atlanta bans retail pet sales outright. Code of Ordinances § 18-212(a) prohibits any pet shop from selling, delivering, offering for sale, bartering, auctioning, or otherwise disposing of dogs or cats, though a shop may still provide space for an animal care facility or rescue organization to run adoptions on-site. Shops offering adoption space cannot place any dog or cat under eight weeks old, and must post the source shelter or rescue's name on each animal's enclosure and keep acquisition records for at least a year, per §§ 18-212(b) and 18-213.
Violations & Fines
Each dog or cat sold or unlawfully offered for adoption is a separate offense, minimum $500 fine per offense (§ 18-214).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a pet store in Atlanta sell puppies or kittens?
Can a store still host shelter adoptions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Atlanta
Compare Atlanta to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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Pet Store Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle pet store rules.