2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 22 - Agriculture. Domestic Animals › Chapter 435 - Dogs and Other Companion Animals. Kennels and Pet Shops › Section 22-344. - Licensing of commercial kennel, pet shop, training facility or grooming facility. Advertising by commercial kennels. Registration of animal importer. Fees. Humane treatment of animals. Registration of animal shelters. Inspection. Fines. Conformance to zoning regulations.

(a)(1) No person shall maintain a commercial kennel until he has obtained from the commissioner a license to maintain such kennel under such regulations as the commissioner provides as to sanitation, disease and humane treatment of dogs or cats and the protection of the public safety. Upon written application and the payment of a fee of four hundred dollars, the commissioner shall issue such license to be effective until the second December thirty-first following issuance provided the commissioner finds (A) that such regulations have been complied with, and (B) in the case of each initial application for such license, that the zoning enforcement official of the municipality wherein such kennel is to be maintained has certified that the kennel conforms to the municipal zoning regulations. Such license shall be renewed biennially, not later than December thirty-first, in accordance with the provisions of this section, and may be transferred by the licensee to another premises upon approval of the commissioner.
(2) Any person who maintains a commercial kennel and who advertises the services of such commercial kennel shall cause the license number for such commercial kennel, as issued pursuant to this section, to clearly appear in such advertisement. The commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to prescribe the requirements for the appearance of the license number of a commercial kennel in any form of advertisement. Such regulation may include, but need not be limited to, the size, font and location of such license number for any given form of advertisement.
(3) For purposes of this subsection, no person who boards three or fewer cats or dogs in his or her residence shall be required to obtain a commercial kennel license pursuant to this subsection.
(b) No person shall maintain a pet shop until he has obtained from the commissioner a license to maintain such pet shop under such regulations as the commissioner provides as to sanitation, disease and humane treatment of animals and the protection of the public safety. Upon written application and the payment of a fee of four hundred dollars, the commissioner shall issue such license to be effective until the second December thirty-first following issuance provided the commissioner finds (1) that such regulations have been complied with, and (2) in the case of each initial application for such license, that the zoning enforcement official of the municipality wherein such pet shop is to be maintained has certified that the pet shop conforms to the municipal zoning regulations. Application for renewal of such license shall be made biennially by not later than the second December thirty-first following issuance. Such pet shop license may be transferred by the licensee to another premises upon the approval of the commissioner. The commissioner, after consultation with the Commissioners of Public Health and Energy and Environmental Protection, shall establish and maintain, pursuant to regulations adopted in accordance with chapter 54, a list of animals which are deemed to be injurious to the health and safety of the public or whose maintenance in captivity is detrimental to the health and safety of the animal. The sale or offer of sale of any animal which is on said list is prohibited and any person who violates this provision shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
(c) No person shall engage in the business of grooming or maintaining a grooming facility until such person has obtained from the commissioner a license to maintain such facility under such regulations as the commissioner provides as to sanitation, disease and humane treatment of such animals and the protection of the public safety. Upon written application and the payment of a fee of two hundred dollars, the commissioner shall issue such license to be effective until the second December thirty-first following issuance provided the commissioner finds (1) that such regulations have been complied with, and (2) in the case of each initial application for such license, that the zoning enforcement official of the municipality wherein such grooming is to be maintained has certified that the facility conforms to the municipal zoning regulations. Such license shall be renewed biennially, not later than the second December thirty-first following issuance, in accordance with the provisions of this section, and may be transferred by the licensee to other premises upon approval of the commissioner.
(d) No person shall maintain a training facility until such person has obtained from the commissioner a license to maintain such facility under such regulations as the commissioner provides as to sanitation, disease and humane treatment of such animals and the protection of public safety. Upon written application and the payment of a fee of two hundred dollars, the commissioner shall issue such license to be effective until the second December thirty-first following issuance provided the commissioner finds (1) that such regulations have been complied with, and (2) in the case of each initial application for such license, that the zoning enforcement official of the municipality wherein such training facility is to be maintained has certified that the facility conforms to the municipal zoning regulations. Such license shall be renewed biennially not later than the second December thirty-first following issuance upon the terms required for the original license and may be transferred by the licensee to another premises upon approval of the commissioner.
(e) (1) No animal importer shall import any dog or cat into this state until such person registers as an animal importer with the commissioner. Such registration shall be on a form as prescribed by the commissioner. Such registration shall require the submission of the following information: (A) The name, mailing address, business address, telephone number and Internet address of such registrant, (B) if such registrant is domiciled out-of-state, the name, Connecticut address and phone number of a Connecticut-based agent for service of process, and (C) the number of animals brought into the state during the prior year by such animal importer and the state or country of origin for each such animal. Such registration shall be accompanied by payment of a fee of two hundred dollars and shall be valid until the second December thirty-first following such registration. Such registration shall be renewed biennially not later than the second December thirty-first following issuance, in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, provided the commissioner determines that such registrant complies with any requirements provided by the commissioner as to the health, safety and humane treatment of animals that is applicable to animal importers. Such registration shall not be required for any employee or volunteer of a registered animal importer or other person who is required to be licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, provided such employee, volunteer or other person is not otherwise an animal importer. Any person who violates the provisions of this subdivision shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
(2) Any animal importer who intends to offer for sale, adoption or transfer any dog or cat at a venue or location that is open to the public or at an outdoor location, including, but not limited to, a parking lot or shopping center, shall provide notice to the Department of Agriculture and the municipal zoning enforcement officer of the town where any such sale, adoption or transfer will occur, not later than ten days prior to such event. Such notice shall state the date for such sale, adoption or transfer event, the exact location of such event and the anticipated number of animals for sale, adoption or transfer at such event. Any person who fails to provide notice as required pursuant to this subdivision shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars per animal that is offered for sale, adoption or transfer at such event.
(3) For the purpose of this subsection, “animal importer” means a person who brings any dog or cat into this state from any other sovereign entity for the purpose of offering such dog or cat to any person for sale, adoption or transfer in exchange for any fee, sale, voluntary contribution, service or any other consideration. “Animal importer” includes any commercial or nonprofit animal rescue or adoption, humane relocation or delivery organization that is not otherwise required to be licensed under the provisions of this chapter.
(4) The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to apply to any animal importer who offers a dog or cat for sale to a pet shop that is licensed in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, provided such animal is delivered directly to a pet shop.
(5) The Commissioner of Agriculture may inspect any animal imported by an animal importer or any record required to be kept by such animal importer, provided such inspection shall not authorize the entry of the commissioner into the residence of such animal importer.
(6) Not later than December 31, 2013, the Commissioner of Agriculture shall prescribe the conditions that constitute the humane treatment of animals that are applicable to animal importers. Such conditions shall include, but not be limited to, the appropriate shelter, availability of food and water and standard of care to be provided by an animal importer to such animals.
(f) No person shall operate or maintain an animal shelter until he or she registers such animal shelter with the commissioner to operate and maintain such animal shelter under such regulations as the commissioner provides as to sanitation, disease and humane treatment of dogs or cats and the protection of the public safety. Upon written application and payment of a fee of fifty dollars to offset administrative costs of such registrations, the commissioner shall issue such registration to be effective until the second December thirty-first following issuance provided the commissioner finds (A) that such regulations have been complied with, and (B) in the case of each initial application for such registration, that the zoning enforcement official of the municipality wherein such animal shelter is to be operated or maintained has certified that the animal shelter conforms to the municipal zoning regulations. Such registration shall be renewed biennially, not later than December thirty-first, in accordance with the provisions of this section, and may be transferred by the registrant to another premises upon approval of the commissioner. For purposes of this subsection, “animal shelter” means any private entity that operates a building or facility that is used solely to house homeless animals for the purpose of rescue or adoption and that is not operated within a private residence.
(g) The commissioner may, at any time, inspect or cause to be inspected by the commissioner's agents any such commercial kennel, animal shelter, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility, and if, (1) in the commissioner's judgment such kennel, shelter, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility is not being maintained in a sanitary and humane manner or in a manner that protects the public safety, (2) the commissioner finds that contagious, infectious or communicable disease or other unsatisfactory conditions exist, or (3) in the case of a pet shop, the commissioner finds any violation of the provisions of section 22a-381d, the commissioner may issue a fine to such commercial kennel, shelter, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility of not more than five hundred dollars for each animal that is the subject of such violation, may issue such orders as the commissioner deems necessary for the correction of such conditions and may quarantine the premises and animals. If the owner or keeper of such kennel, shelter, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility fails to comply with the regulations or orders of the commissioner, or fails to comply with any provision of the statutes or regulations relating to dogs or other animals, the commissioner may revoke or suspend such license or registration, as applicable. Any person aggrieved by any order issued under the provisions of this section may appeal therefrom in accordance with the provisions of section 4-183. Any person maintaining any commercial kennel, animal shelter, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility without having obtained a license or registration for the same, as applicable or after any such license or registration has been revoked or suspended as provided herein shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars. The provisions of this section shall not apply to veterinary hospitals, except those boarding or grooming dogs for nonmedical purposes, and other establishments where all the dogs or animals were born and raised on the premises where they are kept for sale.
(h) The provisions of subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, of this section requiring certification by the zoning enforcement official that every commercial kennel, pet shop, grooming facility and training facility conforms to the zoning regulations of the municipality wherein such kennel, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility is maintained shall not apply to any person who is licensed under said subsections and maintained any such kennel, pet shop or grooming facility prior to October 1, 1977, provided such person does not relocate such kennel, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility in a zone in which such kennel, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility is not a permitted use. In addition, the provisions of said subsections and subsection (f) requiring certification by the zoning enforcement official that every commercial kennel, animal shelter, pet shop, grooming facility and training facility conforms to the zoning regulations of the municipality wherein such kennel, shelter, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility is maintained shall not apply when a zone in which such kennel, shelter, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility is maintained is changed to a use which does not permit such kennel, shelter, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility in such zone.
(1949 Rev., S. 3327; 1953, S. 1828d; 1959, P.A. 447, S. 1; 1963, P.A. 613, S. 15; February, 1965, P.A. 22, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 81, S. 4; 423, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 70; 1972, P.A. 180, S. 2; P.A. 74-89; P.A. 76-436, S. 458, 681; P.A. 77-314, S. 2; 77-505; 77-603, S. 100, 125; 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 82-91, S. 15, 16, 38; P.A. 83-382, S. 2, 3; P.A. 88-364, S. 30, 123; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 49, 117; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; 93-435, S. 48, 95; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 01-62, S. 3; P.A. 09-52, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 298; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; 11-187, S. 1; P.A. 12-105, S. 2; P.A. 13-23, S. 1; 13-241, S. 8; P.A. 16-102, S. 7; P.A. 17-167, S. 1; P.A. 19-156, S. 2.)
History: 1959 act raised license fee from $1 to $10; 1963 act made previous provisions Subsecs. (a) and (c), revising Subsec. (a) to apply only to commercial kennels and inserting new Subsec. (b) with separate provisions applicable to pet shops; 1965 act allowed revocation or suspension of license for failure to comply with statutes or regulations re dogs; 1969 acts inserted new Subsec. (c) containing provisions applicable to grooming businesses, relettering former Subsec. (c) accordingly, replaced references to dog wardens with references to canine control officers where necessary and including references to grooming facilities; 1971 act deleted proviso re prorated license fees for pet shops starting after January thirty-first in Subsec. (b); 1972 act replaced references to inspections by canine control officers and veterinarians with references to inspections by commissioner's agents and allowed suspension or revocation of license for violations of statutes and regulations re other animals as well as dogs in Subsec. (d); P.A. 74-89 included provisions in Subsec. (b) re list of animals not to be maintained in captivity or injurious to public health and safety; P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common pleas with superior court in Subsec. (d), effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-314 inserted new Subsec. (d) containing provisions applicable to training facilities, relettering former Subsec. (d) accordingly and including references to training facilities; P.A. 77-505 required that facilities conform to zoning regulations as condition of licensure and added Subsec. (e) clarifying what constitutes conformity to zoning regulations; P.A. 77-603 replaced previous appeal provision with statement requiring that appeals be made in accordance with Sec. 4-183; P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of health services for commissioner of health in Subsec. (b), effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 82-91 increased commercial kennel license fee from $10 to $25 and amended Subsec. (e) to extend the application of the provisions of the section to veterinary hospitals boarding or grooming dogs for nonmedical purposes; P.A. 83-382 amended Subsecs. (a), (b), (c) and (d) to authorize the commissioner to adopt regulations that protect the public safety, amended Subsecs. (c) and (d) to raise the license fee for training facilities from $20 to $25 and amended Subsec. (d) to require the zoning enforcement officer to certify that a training facility conform to local zoning; P.A. 88-364 made technical changes in Subsecs. (b), (e) and (f); May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6 amended Subsecs. (a), (c) and (d) to increase the license fee from $25 to $100 and amended Subsec. (b) and (e) to increase the license fee from $50 to $200; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-435 made certain technical and grammatical revisions, effective June 28, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 01-62 amended Subsec. (c) to make a technical change and to require licenses to be renewed annually not later than December thirty-first; P.A. 09-52 amended Subsec. (e) to make technical changes, insert Subdiv. designators (1) and (2) and add Subdiv. (3) re violation of Sec. 22a-381d, effective July 1, 2009; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 amended Subsec. (a) to increase fee from $100 to $200 and to make a technical change; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-187 added new Subsec. (e) re registration of animal importer with Commissioner of Agriculture prior to the importation of any dog or cat into the state by such animal importer, requirements for such registration, notice requirements prior to the offer for sale, transfer or adoption of any cat or dog by an animal importer at a venue open to the public, definition of “animal importer”, exceptions to such requirements and inspection authority of Commissioner of Agriculture re any animal or record of an animal importer, and redesignated existing Subsecs. (e) and (f) as Subsecs. (f) and (g); P.A. 12-105 amended Subsec. (f) to authorize commissioner to fine any commercial kennel, pet shop, grooming facility or training facility not more than $500 for each animal that is the subject of a violation; P.A. 13-23 amended Subsec. (a) to designate existing provisions as Subdiv. (1), add Subdiv. (2) re requirement for commercial kennels to include license number in advertisements and make technical changes; P.A. 13-241 amended Subsec. (e) by adding Subdiv. (6) re commissioner to prescribe conditions that constitute humane treatment of animals by animal importers, effective July 2, 2013; P.A. 16-102 amended Subsec. (a)(1) to change application fee from $200 to $400, change license period from one year to two years and change annual license renewal to biennial license renewal, amended Subsec. (b) to change application fee from $200 to $400, change license period from one year to two years and add provision re biennial license renewal, and amended Subsecs. (c) to (e)(1) to change application fee from $100 to $200, change license period from one year to two years and change annual license renewal to biennial license renewal; P.A. 17-167 added new Subsec. (f) re registration of animal shelter, redesignated existing Subsecs. (f) and (g) as new Subsecs. (g) and (h) and amended same to add references to animal shelters, further amended Subsec. (g) to add references to registration, and made technical and conforming changes; P.A. 19-156 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdiv. (3) re exemption to commercial kennel license requirement for persons boarding 3 or fewer cats or dogs in their residence, effective July 9, 2019.