Research Memo

10 RM 017
Date: April 16, 2010

Author: Lisa Jeremiah, Research Analyst

Re: Licensing, Regulation, and Numbers of Animal-Related Services

QUESTIONS
1. Which animal medical providers are licensed by the state? How many are licensed in Wyoming?

2. Are pet breeding kennels, pet boarding kennels, pet grooming shops, and pet stores licensed or
regulated at the local, state, or federal level?

3. Approximately, how many pet breeding kennels, pet boarding kennels, pet grooming shops, and pet
stores are in Wyoming?

4. How many pet food and livestock feed outlets are in Wyoming?

5. How many livestock slaughter facilities are in Wyoming?

6. How many horse rescue operations are in Wyoming?

ANSWERS
1. As shown in Table 1, the state of Wyoming has over 600 licensed veterinarians. The Board of
Veterinary Medicine also issues licenses for artificial insemination and embryo transfer. A separate
board, the Animal Euthanasia Technician Certification Board, currently has certified 30 animal
euthanasia technicians.
Table 1. Licensed Animal Medical Providers, as of April 2010.
Number of
Occupation Active Licensing Board Statute
Licensees
Veterinarians 610 Board of Veterinary Medicine W.S.33-30-203
Artificial Insemination 25 Board of Veterinary Medicine W.S.33-30-204(m)(iii)
Embryo Transfer 1 Board of Veterinary Medicine W.S.33-30-204(m)(xiii)
Animal Euthanasia 30 Animal Euthanasia Technician W.S.33-30-219
Certification Board
Source: LSO Research summary of statute and information provided by the Department of Administration and Information.

WYOMING LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE • 213 State Capitol • Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002
TELEPHONE (307) 777-7881 • FAX (307) 777-5466 • EMAIL • lso@state.wy.us • WEBSITE http://legisweb.state.wy.us
 PAGE 2 OF 3

2. The state does not license or regulate pet breeding kennels, boarding kennels, grooming shops, or pet
shops. Depending on the type of activity and the location, some of these services may be licensed,
regulated or inspected by the federal government or a local jurisdiction.
Local regulation of these activities varies by jurisdiction. Some communities do not regulate these
activities. Others do. For example, the City of Cheyenne/Laramie County Board of Health adopted a
resolution authorizing inspections of "premises used or reasonably suspected to be used as Pet Sales
Locations," which includes pet stores and kennels.
At the federal level, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations focus on four types of
animal-related activities: buying or selling; exhibiting; transporting; and using for experiments or
teaching. However, certain types of businesses, including pet stores, are exempt from their regulations.
Boarding kennels are also exempt from USDA regulation, unless they: (1) are intermediate handlers who
receive shipment of regulated animals traveling on public carriers, or (2) operate a holding facility, which
means they board regulated animals for licensed dealers or research facilities.
With regard to breeding kennels, the focus of the USDA's regulation are people who breed dogs for sale at
the wholesale level or the wholesale dealers who supply these animals to pet stores, brokers, or research
facilities. Hobby breeders are exempt.
As shown in Table 2, below, USDA currently licenses 11 entities in Wyoming. Three of these businesses
are breeders.
Table 2. Number of USDA Regulated Entities in Wyoming.
USDA Regulated Number of
Activity Wyoming Active
Licensees
Breeders 3
Dealers 1
Exhibitors 3
Carriers 1
Research Facilities 3
Total 11
Source: LSO Research summary of information on the USDA's Animal Welfare website.

3. No one entity tracks the number of breeding kennels, boarding kennels, grooming shops, and pet
shops. Several websites list such providers, although it is difficult to assess the accuracy of their
numbers, shown in Table 3.
Based on internet searches, there at least 148 boarding kennels. One internet search found over 70 pet
grooming shops, but this is likely a low estimate as not all pet groomers in the state may be listed on the
internet. Another site listed just over 70 pet shops. However it was not clear which of these stores only
sell pet supplies and food, and which actually sell pets.
Information on the number of breeding kennels is not readily available in one location. Many listings of
breeders only include those who currently have puppies for sale. The listings of breeders are also often
divided by dog breed so it is not easy to get an estimate of the total number of breeders. A further
complication is a lack of standard definition of a breeding kennel, including the question of whether that
includes all breeders, including hobby breeders, or whether it only includes businesses and the larger
kennels. However, in interviews, a Wyoming breeder estimated that there are approximately 175 active
breeders in Wyoming.

WYOMING LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE • 213 State Capitol • Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002
TELEPHONE (307) 777-7881 • FAX (307) 777-5466 • EMAIL • lso@state.wy.us • WEBSITE http://legisweb.state.wy.us
 PAGE 3 OF 3

Table 3. Estimated Number of Boarding Kennels, Grooming Shops, and Pet Shops in Wyoming.
Service Estimated Source of Estimation and Comments
Number
Pet Boarding Kennels 148 www.wyomingdogboarding.org
Pet Grooming Shops 73 www.petgroominginfo.com/wyoming
This number seems low and likely does not include all pet
groomers in the state.
Pet Shops 72 www.yellowpages.com
This number includes not just the pet shops that sell pets, but
also businesses that sell pet food or supplies. It also includes
feed stores that sell rabbits and chicks in the spring. LSO
Research did not find the number of stores that sell pets.
Pet Breeding Kennels 177 Estimate provided based on expert interviews.
It does not include livestock guardian dog breeders.
Source: LSO Research summary of information found through interviews and internet searches.

4. The Wyoming Department of Agriculture does not license stores that sell livestock or pet food, but it
does require registration of livestock feed and pet food products. As shown in Table 4, below, the
Department estimates that there are approximately 1,200 stores that sell pet food or livestock feed,
although this may not be a complete count. There are almost 100 livestock feed outlets and over
1,100 pet food outlets. A wide range of stores sell pet food, from pet stores to gas stations.
Table 4. Estimated Number of Livestock Feed and Pet Food Outlets in Wyoming.
Outlet Estimated
Number
Livestock Feed 93
Pet Food 1,113
Total 1,206
Source: LSO Research summary of information provided by the Department of Agriculture.

5. According to the Department of Agriculture, there are 12 state-inspected livestock slaughter

facilities in Wyoming, as shown in Table 5. These facilities are inspected every day they slaughter
animals. Of the 32 custom-cut exempt meat plants in the state, 18 have slaughter facilities. The
custom-cut meat plants are only for those individuals who own the animals and are slaughtering
them for their own personal use.
Table 5. Number of Livestock Slaughter Facilities in Wyoming.
Type of Facility Number
State-inspected 12
Custom cut meat plants 18
with slaughter facilities
Source: LSO Research summary of information provided by the Department of Agriculture.

6. Horse rescue operations are not required to be licensed by the state or to notify the Livestock Board
of their operations. There also is not a common definition of what it means to be a horse rescue. An
official at the Livestock Board said he was aware of several horse rescue operations in the state.

If you need anything further, please contact LSO Research at 777-7881.

WYOMING LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE • 213 State Capitol • Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002
TELEPHONE (307) 777-7881 • FAX (307) 777-5466 • EMAIL • lso@state.wy.us • WEBSITE http://legisweb.state.wy.us