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

The code defines a puppy mill as any sized commercial establishment that breeds multiple female dogs, often every heat cycle, producing puppies without screening purchasers, selling under-eight-week-old or diseased puppies, isolating breeding dogs from human interaction, housing them in crates or trailers without light or exercise, or failing to provide adequate shelter, food, water, space, or veterinary care, and states plainly that puppy mills are not permitted in Burke County (§ 6-1). A pet shop is defined and regulated separately: a building or facility located outside city/town limits where a person acquires animals bred by others for resale, or holds animals for grooming, excluding domesticated livestock (§ 6-78(a)).

Pet shops must maintain hot water at a minimum 140 degrees Fahrenheit for disinfecting, fresh water available at all times in cleaned, non-tip containers, temperature-controlled enclosure areas, nonporous cages sized so animals can stand, turn, and lie down without touching the sides, feeding schedules of at least twice daily for animals under three months, dedicated perches and separate cages for large birds, sufficient clean bedding, and daily cleaning and feeding including Sundays and holidays (§ 6-78(b)). Owners or operators must obtain a permit from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and pay any designated privilege tax before operating (§ 6-78(d)), and shops are subject to yearly state inspections under the Animal Welfare Act covering veterinary care documentation, disease control, and rabies-law compliance (§ 6-78(e)).