Columbus, GA Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Requirement
- Business license for kennel activity
- Covered
- Any regular sale of dogs/cats
- Prerequisite
- Valid certificate of occupancy
- Inspection fee
- $100 per permit
- Vaccination
- Rabies proof for animals 4mo+
Summary
Columbus, Georgia does not ban pet-store sales of dogs and cats: anyone regularly selling them, including a commercial kennel, must instead hold a business license authorizing that activity.
It shall be unlawful for any person, business, or kennel (as heretofore defined), regardless of the number of the animals kept, to engage regularly in the sale of cats, dogs, kittens, or puppies, regardless of the age of the animals, without having a business license which specifically authorizes commercial kennel activities.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
Columbus, Georgia Code of Ordinances § 5-16 defines a commercial kennel as any operation offering boarding, grooming, breeding, sale, trading, training, renting, or leasing of dogs or other animals, and makes it unlawful to regularly sell cats, dogs, kittens, or puppies, regardless of the animals' age, without a business license specifically authorizing commercial kennel activity. A valid certificate of occupancy must be on file before the license issues, and rabies vaccination records for animals four months and older must be available for inspection on request. Columbus regulates retail sale through licensing, sanitation, and vaccination requirements rather than an adoption-only ban.
Violations & Fines
Selling dogs or cats commercially without the required business license, or without producing rabies vaccination records on request, is unlawful and can jeopardize the license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can pet stores sell dogs and cats in Columbus, GA?
What counts as a commercial kennel in Columbus, Georgia?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbus
Compare Columbus to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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