Oklahoma Administrative Code
Title 532 - Board of Commercial Pet Breeders
Chapter 15 - Commercial Pet Breeder Operations Guidelines
Subchapter 3 - Minimum Housing and Care Standards
Section 532:15-3-2 - Housing facilities

(a) General. Commercial pet breeders shall house pets in housing facilities that at all times keep the pets dry, protect pets from exposure to the elements, extreme weather conditions, or hazards that could endanger the pets, contain the pets securely, and restrict other animals from entering the housing facility. Commercial pet breeders shall keep the housing facilities in good repair.

(b) Cover, shade, and temperatures. Commercial pet breeders shall house animals in housing facilities that shelter pets from direct sunlight and extreme heat. Exterior housing facilities shall include shaded or covered areas large enough to fit all pets simultaneously, in a sitting, laying or outstretched position, and protect pets from the elements. Commercial pet breeders shall not keep pets in an exterior or sheltered housing facility when the temperature in the facility falls below 50 °F (10 °C) unless the pets are acclimated to lower temperatures, and can withstand such temperatures without stress and discomfort, as certified by a veterinarian, including that commercial pet breeders shall not keep sick, aged, young, or infirm pets under temperatures lower than 50 °F (10 °C) unless directed by a veterinarian. Commercial pet breeders shall provide dry bedding to pets located in exterior housing facilities when outside temperatures are below 50 degrees Fahrenheit in order to allow pets to conserve body heat. Commercial pet breeders using indoor housing facilities shall maintain such facilities sufficiently heated and cooled when necessary to protect the pets from temperature or humidity extremes and to provide for pets' health and well-being. When pets are present, the ambient temperature in the facility must not fall below 50°F for and must not rise above 85 °F.

(c) Surfaces. The surfaces of housing facilities--including houses, dens, and other furniture-type fixtures and objects within the facility, but excluding fencing or walls that delineate outer boundaries of a facility or property--that pets might touch, reach, or otherwise come in contact with shall be constructed of materials that allow the surfaces to be readily cleaned and sanitized, or removed or replaced when worn or soiled. Commercial pet breeders shall keep all surfaces that pets might touch, reach, or otherwise come in contact with clean and sanitized. Surfaces that pets may reach, touch, or otherwise come in contact with must be free of jagged, sharp, or rough edges that might cause the pets injury. Any metal wire flooring that pets may come into contact with must be covered in a protective plastic or rubber coating and slatted surfaces shall not allow the pets' feet to pass through or get caught or trapped.

(d) Ventilation. Commercial pet breeders shall provide sufficient ventilation to indoor or sheltered housing facilities containing pets to provide for the pets' health and well-being, and to minimize odors, drafts, ammonia levels, and moisture condensation. Commercial pet breeders may provide the ventilation by using windows, vents, fans, or air conditioning, but they shall use auxiliary ventilation, such as fans, blowers, or air conditioning when the outside temperature is 85 °F (29.5 °C) or higher. Commercial pet breeders shall maintain the relative humidity at a level that ensures the health and well-being of the pets housed therein, in accordance with the directions of the attending veterinarian and generally accepted professional and husbandry practices. Commercial pet breeders shall maintain ammonia levels at less than 20 parts per million at all locations within the housing facility. Ammonia levels for the housing facility will be measured by taking measurements at various locations in the facility. The number of measurements to be taken shall be equal to the number that is 10% of the total number of pets housed in the facility. The measurements shall be taken at the shoulder height of randomly selected pets located throughout the housing facility. Ammonia in a primary enclosure shall be measured no sooner than 30 minutes after the completion of active cleaning of that primary enclosure.

(e) Running water and electricity. Commercial pet breeders shall provide or secure the provision of adequate running potable water to housing facilities to allow the commercial pet breeder to clean and sanitize, and to provide drinking water to the pets. Commercial pet breeders shall provide or secure the provision of reliable electric power adequate for heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting, and for carrying out other husbandry requirements in accordance with these rules.

(f) Outdoor floors. Outside floor areas in contact with pets and exposed to direct sun shall consist of concrete, compacted earth, absorbent bedding, sand, gravel, grass, or other material that does not transfer heat and become hot to the touch. Solid outdoor floors are subject to sanitization requirements, and commercial pet breeders shall remove feces and debris from the floor and clean as necessary on a daily basis. Commercial pet breeders shall rake or spot-clean outdoor floors made of dirt, absorbent bedding, sand, gravel, grass, or other similar material with sufficient frequency to ensure all animals the freedom to avoid contact with excreta. Commercial pet breeders shall replace contaminated outdoor material that is not solid whenever this raking and spot-cleaning is not sufficient to prevent or eliminate odors, insects, pests, or vermin infestation.

(g) General maintenance. Commercial pet breeders shall keep housing facilities free of accumulations of trash, junk, waste products, and discarded matter, and they shall control weeds, grasses, and bushes so as to facilitate cleaning of the premises and pest control, and to protect the health and well-being of the pets.

(h) Pest control. Commercial pet breeders shall adopt and use an effective program for the control of insects, vermin, external parasites affecting pets, and other pests, and to reduce contamination by pests in animal areas.

(i) Light. Commercial pet breeders shall provide all areas housing animals a regular diurnal lighting cycle of either natural or artificial light. Lighting must be uniformly diffused throughout animal facilities and provide sufficient illumination to aid in maintaining good housekeeping practices, adequate cleaning, adequate inspection of animals, and for the well-being of the pets. Commercial pet breeders shall arrange or place primary enclosures in a manner that protects the pets from excessive light.

(j) Compatibility. Commercial pet breeders may place only compatible pets in the same primary enclosure. Commercial pet breeders shall not place breeding female animals in heat in the same enclosure at the same time with sexually mature male animal, except for breeding purposes; breeding females and their litters in the same enclosure at the same time with other adult dogs; puppies or kittens under four months of age with other adult animals other than their dam or foster dam; or animals exhibiting vicious or an aggressive disposition with any other animal. Commercial pet breeders shall not place more than six (6) adult pets simultaneously in any enclosure. Notwithstanding the foregoing, breeding colonies are permitted.