Garland, TX Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Ch. 22, Art. I, § 22.00(A)(3)
- Retail dog/cat sale
- Exempt from entire Animal Services article
- Spay/neuter tie-in
- § 22.19(B)(1) retail-store affirmative defense
- Local permit
- Not required for exempted retail dog/cat sale
- Enacted
- Ordinance 7495, adopted 1/9/2024 (§ 22.00)
Summary
Garland runs no puppy-mill ban and no adoption-only mandate on pet stores. Chapter 22, Article I of the City Code exempts anyone "involved in the retail sale of dogs or cats" from the entire animal ordinance, and a second provision separately confirms store stock is exempt from the citywide unsterilized-pet ban.
(A) This article's ordinances do not apply to and shall not be enforced against (1) an Agriculture Operation, as that term is amended and defined by the Texas Agriculture Code; (2) a person operating a business involving the breeding, care, treatment, or commercial sale of animals or animal products, including a veterinary practice, if the person operating the business holds a license for the business that is issued by the federal government or a state; and (3) a person involved in the retail sale of dogs or cats. ... § 22.19(B)(1) Retail or adoption animal. The animal is being held for sale by a retail pet store or held for adoption by animal services or an animal welfare organization;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4862189; v40 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
22 that otherwise applies to anyone selling, grooming, breeding, boarding or training animals in the city. " Read together, the two sections mean Garland has chosen not to regulate how a retail store acquires, sterilizes or licenses the dogs and cats on its shelves; that oversight is left to whatever federal or state dealer license the store already holds. No ordinance requires stores to source only from shelters or rescues, and none bans commercial dog or cat sales outright the way some Texas cities' puppy-mill ordinances do.
Violations & Fines
There is no local violation to cite here: Section 22.00(B)-(C) instructs that nothing in Article I may be enforced in a way that reaches an exempted activity, so an Animal Service Officer's citation authority under Section 22.02 does not extend to a retail pet store's dog or cat sales, its sterilization status, or a missing Section 22.22 permit for that specific activity. Zoning, building and health-code compliance for the storefront itself still apply outside this chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Garland require pet stores to be adoption-only?
Can a Garland pet store sell an unsterilized puppy or kitten?
Does a Garland pet store need an Animal Services permit to sell dogs or cats?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Garland
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Garland to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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How other cities in Dallas County handle pet store rules.