AN ACT to deregulate small boarding kennels by limiting permitting requirements to boarding kennels providing services to six or more animals.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 19A‑23 reads as rewritten:

§ 19A‑23.  Definitions.

For the purposes of this Article, the following terms, when used in the Article or the rules or orders made pursuant thereto, shall be construed respectively to mean:

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(5c)      Boarding kennel means a facility or establishment which regularly offers to the public the service of boarding six or more of any combination of dogs or cats or both for a fee. Such a facility or establishment may, in addition to providing shelter, food and water, offer grooming or other services for dogs and/or cats.or cats or both.

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SECTION 2.  The Board of Agriculture shall amend its rules for boarding kennels consistent with the provisions of this act. In doing so, the Board may adopt temporary rules following the procedures set forth in G.S. 150B‑21.1.

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2025.