Snohomish County prohibits cruelty, neglect, and abandonment of animals under SCC 9.12.080. Failing to provide adequate food, water, shelter, sanitation, medical care, space, or rest is unlawful. Combined with the 25-dog limit and state cruelty law, this addresses hoarding conditions.
SCC 9.12.080 makes it unlawful to mistreat, neglect, or abandon any animal - including failing to provide adequate daily food or water, or necessary shelter, sanitation, medical attention, space, or rest, and tethering or confining an animal in a way that causes entanglement or blocks access to food, water, or shelter. Hoarding situations, where too many animals are kept in inadequate conditions, are addressed through these neglect provisions combined with the 25-dog cap (SCC 6.06.008) and Washington's animal-cruelty statute, chapter 16.52 RCW. Animal Control may seize animals kept in cruel or unsanitary conditions.
Cruelty, neglect, and abandonment under SCC 9.12.080 are enforced by Animal Control with impoundment and civil penalties; serious or repeat cases can be charged as animal cruelty under chapter 16.52 RCW, a criminal offense.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Snohomish County, WA
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Snohomish County, WA
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Snohomish County, WA
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Snohomish County, WA
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Snohomish County, WA
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Snohomish County, WA
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See how Snohomish County's animal hoarding rules stack up against other locations.
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