Inspections of Licensed Breeder Facilities
Pre-License Inspections
A license will not be issued until a pre-license inspection is conducted and your facility meets the requirements of the law and administrative rules. Please see the pre-license inspection checklist for further details on what inspectors will be examining.
If you hold a current USDA Class A animal dealer’s license, your facility will be exempt from having a pre-license inspection conducted. You will need to provide a copy of your license along with your application materials.
If your facility does not meet the requirements, you will be given an opportunity to correct the deficiencies and request another pre-license inspection. Additional inspection fees may be required.
Periodic Inspections
Each facility will be inspected at least once in every 18-month period. The inspection will be conducted during the facility's normal business hours. During inspection, your facility will be evaluated for compliance with the requirements of the law and administrative rules.
A reasonable opportunity of advance notice will be given so that you (or your represenative) may be present during the inspection. In some cases the inspector may determine that it is necessary and appropriate to not provide advance notice.
On completion of the periodic inspection, the inspector will provide a report listing any violations that have been found, as well as corrective actions to address the deficiencies.
Based on the results of the periodic inspection, a licensed facility may be moved to an out-of-cycle inspection schedule (see below).
Out-of-Cycle Inspections
Out-of-cycle inspections may be required in addition to periodic inspections, if a facility is found to have serious or repeated violations, or if violations are not corrected in a timely manner.
Facilities may be scheduled for inspection based on the following risk criteria:
- Tier 1 - A serious or repeated violation relating to sanitation violations or failure to timely remedy violations documented during periodic inspections, investigations or commission orders; Total Inspection Frequency: Twice each year.
- Tier 2 - Repeated or serious violations related to shelter, food, water, and medical treatment or examinations; Total Inspection Frequency: Four times each year.
The owner of the facility will be required to pay a fee of $150 for each out-of-cycle inspection.
On completion of an out-of-cycle inspection, the inspector will provide you with a report listing any violations that have been found, as well as corrective actions to address the deficiencies.
Return to Periodic Schedule
Facilities may be moved to a less frequent out-of-cycle inspection schedule or returned to a periodic schedule of inspections, if they satisfy the requirements for correcting deficiencies as outlined below:
| Schedule |
Inspector Findings |
Change |
| Tier 1 |
Two inspections with no violations |
May be returned to a periodic schedule of inspections |
| Tier 2 |
Three inspections with no violations |
May be moved to a Tier 1 schedule or returned to a periodic schedule of inspections |
The department will notify you, in writing, if there is a change in the facility's out-of-cycle schedule or if the facility is returned to a periodic inspection schedule.
Corrective Actions
Following an inspection, you must complete all corrective actions provided by the inspector. Once the corrections have been made, you will need to provide written verification of the corrective actions to the department according to the following schedule:
- Violations affecting an animal's health must be corrected immediately
- Violations related to housing facilities must be corrected within a reasonable time, as determined by the inspector
The department may grant an extension, if you can present satisfactory evidence showing that the time period specified by the inspector is inadequate to perform the necessary corrections.
Administrative Penalties and Sanctions
The department may assess administrative penalties and/or sanctions for:
- Violations found during inspections
- Failure to complete corrective actions in a timely manner
- Failure to provide written notice, verifying that corrective actions have been completed
Penalties will be assessed by the commission or executive director in an amount that may not exceed $5,000 per day for each violation. Each day a violation continues or occurs is a separate violation for purposes of imposing a penalty.
The department also maintains a database of dog and cat breeders who have been subject to disciplinary action or sanctions. This information is made available to the public.
