Kenosha, WI Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)

015 defines a Pet Shop as a retail or wholesale business offering pet animals for sale, distinct from a noncommercial or commercial Kennel, and it is unlawful to operate any kennel or pet shop within city limits without a license from the Common Council. The license application, reviewed by the Committee on Licenses and Permits before Council action, must state the maximum number of dogs and cats sought to be kept, and no license issues until a Sanitarian inspects the premises, the Director of City Development verifies the site sits in an appropriate zone with an Occupancy Permit, and Building and Fire Code compliance is confirmed.

The annual fee is $200 per calendar year, licenses are not transferable to another person or location, and they must be renewed by January 31 each year. Licensed premises must supply potable water and clean feeding receptacles daily, store food and bedding against vermin, provide waste-disposal facilities that minimize odor and disease, and house any pet animal with a communicable disease separately, never selling or placing it for adoption until a veterinarian clears it. 075 cannot be kept on any licensed premises at all. The Common Council can suspend, revoke or deny renewal of a license for a violation of the section or for cruelty, neglect or unlawful possession of an animal, but only after written notice and, if requested within ten days, a hearing before the Committee on Licenses and Permits.