Miami, FL Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 6-46
- Retail pet-store sales
- Dogs and cats banned
- Exempt
- Shelters, rescues, hobby breeders
- Certificate of source
- Required within 3 feet of enclosure
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 13696, July 2017
Summary
Miami pet stores cannot sell dogs or cats at retail unless exempt as a shelter, rescue partner, or hobby breeder outlet: the city's 2017 puppy-mill ordinance pushes retail sales toward adoption instead of commercial breeding chains.
(a)No pet store shall offer for retail sale any dogs or cats in the city on or after the effective date of this section unless the pet store is exempt pursuant to subsection 6-46(b).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 | Ordinance 11000 (Previous Zoning Code): Supplement 22 | Miami 21 (Zoning Code): ?).
Full Breakdown
Miami Code § 6-46 bars any pet store from offering dogs or cats for retail sale in the city, unless the store qualifies for an exemption: a publicly operated animal control facility or shelter, a nonprofit rescue organization, a pet store that transitioned to selling shelter or hobby-breeder animals, or a hobby breeder itself. Stores that fall outside the ban can still host adoption events for animal-control agencies or rescues on-site. Any pet store still selling dogs or cats at retail must post a certificate of source within three feet of each animal's enclosure and hand a copy to the buyer; falsifying that certificate is a separate violation. Enforcement runs through the citation system in § 6-71.
Violations & Fines
First violation: $50 uncontested civil penalty ($100 if contested and found liable); penalties escalate to $200/$300 for a second violation and $400/$500 for the third and beyond, per § 6-71.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Miami pet store sell puppies from a breeder?
Can pet stores still host adoption events?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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Pet Store Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Miami-Dade County handle pet store rules.