Woodland, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Store Rules (2026)

Woodland's Zoning Code sorts commercial animal businesses under 'Animal Care, Sales and Services,' which lists three separate use types: Grooming, Pet Store, and Veterinary Services. Woodland Municipal Code § 17.144.010 defines 'Pet Store' narrowly: retail pet supply stores that may include the sale of small household pets, specifically birds, fish, and reptiles, with grooming included only if incidental to the retail use, and all activity conducted within an enclosed building. Because the definition names only birds, fish, and reptiles, a business that wants to retail dogs or cats cannot rely on the Pet Store use classification to do so; the City's zoning definitions do not authorize dog or cat sales under that category.

The enclosed-building requirement means outdoor animal sales, kiosks, or sidewalk displays of pets do not qualify as a permitted Pet Store use. Grooming services can be offered at a Pet Store location only when incidental to the primary retail activity; a stand-alone grooming operation is instead classified separately as 'Grooming' under the same use group. The Community Development Department administers these use classifications when reviewing zoning and business license applications, and the Zoning Administrator or Director enforces compliance under Chapter 17.128, Enforcement. Any use conducted, operated, or maintained contrary to the Zoning Code, including a purported pet store selling animals outside the § 17.144.010 definition, is declared unlawful and a public nuisance under Woodland Municipal Code § 17.128.030, giving the City Attorney authority to seek abatement.

This classification is distinct from Yolo County's separate animal-control rules, which the City adopts by reference in Chapter 6.04 for licensing and nuisance animals rather than retail sales.