New Hanover County, NC Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)

Section 5-20 targets the supply side of the pet-resale trade: 'It shall be unlawful for any person to collect any dog or cat within the county for the purpose of resale. S. Chapter 19A, so New Hanover County defers pet-shop sourcing standards to state and federal licensing rather than imposing its own retail-only-adoption mandate. Anyone in the county who breeds a dog or cat, commercially or as a hobby, must separately obtain a breeding permit from Animal Services under § 5-33(a), 'no later than three business days following birth of the litter,' with the fee set by the Board of County Commissioners; § 5-33(c) places no restriction on what animal is bred or how often.

A person who raises no more than the offspring of four female dogs or cats per year is exempt from the 'dealer' definition, and someone keeping no more than four unaltered dogs or cats over six months old is a 'hobby breeder' rather than a 'commercial breeder,' defined as maintaining five or more adult female dogs. Violating § 5-20 or § 5-33 is enforced through the chapter's general penalty at § 5-34.