Seattle SMC 9.25 limits households to a small number of pets and prohibits neglect. Washington RCW 16.52 makes animal cruelty, including hoarding-related neglect, a gross misdemeanor or felony when injury or death results.
Seattle does not have a standalone hoarding statute, but SMC 9.25.082 caps most households at three small animals (cats/dogs over eight weeks) without a kennel license, and 9.25.081 requires humane care. Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) responds to complaints about dirty, crowded, or neglected conditions. State law RCW 16.52.205 (felony cruelty) and RCW 16.52.207 (second-degree cruelty, gross misdemeanor) apply when animals are denied food, water, shelter, or veterinary care. King County prosecutors regularly charge hoarders with multiple counts. Seizure, court-ordered forfeiture, and a five-year ban on owning animals are common outcomes. Mental-health referrals through APS are typical for elder hoarders.
Cruelty 2 (neglect): gross misdemeanor, up to 364 days jail and $5,000. Cruelty 1 (felony): up to five years prison. SAS may seize animals and bill owner for care.
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See how Seattle's animal hoarding rules stack up against other locations.
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