Elk Grove, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Special business license, Chief of Police
- Min. puppy/kitten sale age
- 8 weeks, vet-approved
- Sidewalk/street sales
- Banned citywide (EGMC 8.02.200)
- Underage sale penalty
- Misdemeanor, per-animal offense
- Disclosure
- License number and breeder address required
Summary
Elk Grove does not ban retail pet stores from selling animals, but any store selling animals under California's Health and Safety Code Section 122350 definition must first hold a special business license from the Chief of Police. Selling live animals on streets or in parking lots is banned citywide, and underage puppies or kittens cannot be sold without a veterinarian's written approval.
No person shall, unless under and by authority of a valid unexpired and unrevoked special business license, conduct or operate within the City, whether singularly or in connection with another type of enterprise, the following: ... 28. Pet stores that engage in the selling of animals as defined in Section 122350 of the California Health and Safety Code... It shall be unlawful for any person to: 1) sell or give away as a part of a commercial transaction, a live animal on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk; or 2) display or offer for sale, or display or offer to give away as part of a commercial transaction, a live animal if the act of selling or giving away the live animal is to occur on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4937385; v2 updated 2026-05-13; through 05-13-2026).
Full Breakdown
005(A)(28) singles out "pet stores that engage in the selling of animals as defined in Section 122350 of the California Health and Safety Code" as one of the enterprises that cannot operate without a special business license from the Chief of Police. 040, the same screening used for pawnbrokers, massage establishments and cardrooms. 200 bans selling or giving away any live animal, including through a store's outdoor or sidewalk display, on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival or boardwalk. 230 makes it unlawful to sell a puppy or kitten under eight weeks old unless a California-licensed veterinarian has approved the sale in writing beforehand; the exemption carves out 501(c)(3) shelters, licensed pet dealers under Health and Safety Code Section 122125, and public or humane society shelters. 240(F), disclose the breeder's name and address for puppies and kittens under four months old. 240(H)).
Violations & Fines
Operating a pet store without the required special business license is enforceable as a misdemeanor after written notice, since EGMC Section 4.10.005 is one of the sections listed in EGMC Section 4.02.140. Selling a puppy or kitten under eight weeks without veterinary sign-off is a straight misdemeanor under EGMC Section 8.02.230(B), with each animal sold in violation charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a pet store in Elk Grove sell puppies and kittens?
Can a pet store display animals for sale outside on the sidewalk?
What happens if a store sells an underage puppy?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elk Grove
California rules heatmap·Compare Elk Grove to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Pet Store Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sacramento County handle pet store rules.