St. Peters, MO Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)

City Code Section 205.010 defines a PET SHOP as 'any commercial establishment where dogs, cats or other small animals are bought, sold, or exchanged,' and Section 205.100(A)(6) folds that activity into the City's broader 'commercial animal establishment' license, alongside kennels, grooming shops and animal shelters. St. Peters does not ban retail pet sales or require an adoption-only model: a pet shop can operate and sell dogs and cats as long as it holds the license, which costs seventy-five dollars ($75.00) a year under Subsection G(4) and runs on a January 1 to December 31 term with renewal due thirty days before expiration.

Getting the license takes more than paying the fee. Subsection C requires a criminal history record information background check completed within six months of the application, covering every state where the applicant lived in the prior five years, and Subsection D sends the application to the City Clerk, who refers it to the Chief of Police for a recommendation on the applicant's 'good moral character' as that term is defined in Section 605.001. Once licensed, Subsection B requires the shop to keep animals, cages, pens and holding areas sanitary and disease-free, provide constant food and water or a posted care schedule, and pull any diseased or parasite-infested animal from sale until a veterinarian clears it.

The Health Manager can pull sick animals from the business for treatment at the owner's expense, and under Subsection M the City can review the license for revocation if conditions are not corrected.