Raleigh, NC Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)

Pet shops fall under Chapter 12, Article A's holding-facility licensing scheme. Section 12-3040 flatly bars operating a pet shop in the city without a valid pet shop license, and § 12-3041 requires an application naming the shop's address, owner, and operator; § 12-3042 sets the fee under the Code's merchant license provisions and requires a separate license for every other holding facility run on the same premises. Section 12-3035 layers on operating standards: hot water of at least 140 degrees for washing and disinfecting cages, fresh water available to every animal at all times in tip-proof, removable containers, cages of nonporous material sized so an animal can stand, turn, and stretch to full length, and animals under three months fed at least three times daily.

Birds need enough room to perch, with parrots and other large birds caged apart from smaller species, and every cage must be cleaned daily and disinfected whenever a bird is sold. All animals must be fed, watered, and have their cages cleaned every day, including Sundays and holidays. Under §§ 12-3071 and 12-3072, willful failure to meet these standards is unlawful and grounds for the City to deny or revoke the license, and a licensee facing revocation can appeal first to the Director of Finance and then to the City Manager under § 12-3073, with the appeal staying a revocation until decided.