Pet Sales

It is illegal to sell, trade, barter, or give pets away without a permit, regardless of where you're trying to sell them. 

If you wish to sell your pet, you must apply for the appropriate permits:

• Seller's Permit(PDF, 56KB):  Required for anyone selling or offering for sale one or more puppies.
• Litter Permit(PDF, 101KB):  Required for anyone whose female dog or cat has a litter. The permit must be obtained prior to or within 10 business days of the litter’s birth. No more than one litter per female dog in a 12-month period is allowed.

After obtaining the necessary permits, be sure to include the assigned permit number in all advertising. This includes online platforms like Facebook and La Pulga, as well as any sale notices or displays. Additionally, you are responsible for ensuring the animals' well-being, providing required vaccinations, and offering a health guarantee to all buyers.

Violations

Anyone who advertises or sells puppies in San Antonio without the required permit is breaking the law, and the current ordinance allows Animal Care Services (ACS) officers to confiscate the animals. Citations from ACS can net fines up to $300 each and state jail time for more heinous violations.

• It is against the law for any person to sell, trade, barter, lease, rent, or give away, any animal on any roadside, public right-of-way, commercial parking lot, garage sale, flea market, festival, park, community center or outdoor public place (Chapter 5. Sec. 5-11).
• It is against the law for any person or organization to give away, or offer to give away, any live animal as a prize for, or as an inducement to enter, any contest, game or other competition, or as an inducement to enter a place of amusement, or offer such animal as an incentive to enter into any business agreement whereby the offer was for the purpose of attracting trade (Chapter 5. Sec. 5-10).