Sec. 4.04.067. Retail sale of dogs and cats in commercial establishments.

(1) The retail sale (including both primary and accessory use) of dogs and cats in pet stores and/or commercial establishments shall be prohibited.

a. Breeders that do not exceed the commercial breeder threshold, as defined by Washoe County, are exempt from this prohibition.

(2) A pet store may provide space to an animal rescue organization to offer to the public dogs or cats for adoption; provided that the pet store shall not have any ownership interest in the animals offered and shall not receive any fee for providing space or for the adoption of any of the animals.

a. An animal rescue organization means an animal control center, animal shelter, or nonprofit organization that has tax-exempt status under Section 50l(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, whose mission and practice is the rescue and placement of animals in permanent homes. This term does not include an entity that breeders or brokers animals or obtains animals from breeders or brokers in exchange of payment or compensation.

(Ord. No. 6575, sec. 1, 8-12-20)

Editor's note(s)-- Ord. No. 6575, sec. 1, adopted August 12, 2020, repealed the former sec. 4.04.067, and enacted a new sec. 4.04.067 as set out herein. The former sec. 4.04.067 pertained to 'Moratorium on the acceptance of business license applications for pet stores intending to conduct sales of dogs, cats or rabbits' and derived from Ord. No. 6329, sec. 1, adopted April 16, 2014.