Cook County, IL Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Breeder cap
- Max 5 breeding females per site
- Breeder license
- USDA Class A required
- Disclosure retention
- 2 years from sale
- Enforcer
- Dept. of Animal Control, Sheriff
- Scope
- Countywide unless municipality has own ordinance
Summary
Cook County pet shops cannot sell commercially bred dogs, cats or rabbits: stock must come from shelters, rescues, or small USDA-licensed breeders.
A pet shop operator may offer for sale only those dogs, cats or rabbits obtained from: (1) An animal control center...; or (2) A humane society or rescue organization; (3) Animal obtained from breeders. No pet shop operator may offer for sale any dog, cat or rabbit obtained from a breeder unless...the breeder owns or possesses no more than five female dogs, cats or rabbits capable of reproduction in any 12-month period...
Full Breakdown
Under Code § 10-13, a Cook County pet shop operator may offer for sale only dogs, cats or rabbits from a government animal control center or pound, a humane society or rescue organization, or a USDA Class A licensed breeder who owns no more than five breeding females and houses no more than five breeding females at the animal's birth site. Pet shops must also give written point-of-sale disclosures on each animal's breeder licensing history and origin, retained for two years. The section applies countywide except where a municipality has its own superseding ordinance, and is enforced by the Department of Animal Control with Sheriff assistance.
Violations & Fines
Selling animals from unlicensed or large-scale breeders, or from breeders exceeding the five-female cap, violates § 10-13; failing to provide or retain the required written disclosures is a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Cook County pet shop sell puppies from any breeder?
Does this rule apply inside Chicago?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cook County
Compare Cook County to another location·View the Illinois animal ordinances overview
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