Pierce County addresses hoarding through animal-cruelty, neglect, and licensing law. Keeping six or more dogs and/or cats requires a kennel license, owners must provide 'adequate care,' and cruelty or neglect is enforced under state law (RCW 16.52) and can lead to a 10-year ban on owning animals for habitual violators.
There is no section literally titled 'hoarding' in the Pierce County Code, but the conduct is reached through several provisions. PCC 6.02.010 requires 'adequate care' — sufficient food, water, shelter, sanitation, ventilation, space, and veterinary care. Keeping large numbers of animals without a license is directly regulated: PCC 6.03.020.I makes it unlawful to 'own, maintain, or have six or more dogs and/or cats' without a kennel/cattery license under Chapter 5.24 PCC. Cruelty and neglect are enforced under Washington State law, RCW Chapter 16.52 (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Critically for repeat offenders, PCC 6.03.030 provides that a person with violations found by the District Court within a five-year period may be designated a 'habitual violator' and 'shall be prohibited from
Neglect or cruelty is charged under RCW Chapter 16.52 (up to a felony) and PCC Chapter 6.03; abandoning animals is a misdemeanor. Keeping six or more dogs/cats without a license escalates from a Class 3 infraction to a misdemeanor. A
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