Port Townsend, WA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed as evidence
- Explicitly not allowed
- Dangerous-dog basis
- Individual bite/attack history
- Off-property restraint
- Leash and muzzle required
- Registration deadline
- Within 30 days of declaration
- Noncompliance penalty
- Gross misdemeanor, dog confiscated
Summary
Port Townsend has no pit-bull or breed ban. PTMC 9.02.165 bars judging a dog's behavior by breed, and dangerous or potentially dangerous dogs are declared case-by-case on documented conduct under state law.
It is unlawful for an owner or person in control of an animal to permit, or fail to prevent, any animal when unprovoked on public or private property to:
A. Bite a human being causing less than severe injury as defined in RCW 16.08.070(3) or bite a domestic animal; or
B. Chase or approach a human, on property other than that of the animal’s owner, in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, which may include but is not limited to any one or more of the following behaviors: snarling, baring teeth, growling, snapping, pouncing, lunging, attacking, or attempting to bite.
The breed of a dog shall not be considered to be evidence of violation of this section.
C. Violation of this section is a misdemeanor. (Ord. 3118 § 5, 2014).
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Instead of banning breeds, PTMC 9.02.165 makes it unlawful for an owner to let a dog bite a person or animal, or chase/approach a person in a menacing, attacking posture, then adds flatly that "the breed of a dog shall not be considered to be evidence of violation of this section." Separately, PTMC 8.04.270-8.04.274 adopts RCW 16.08.070-16.08.100 so the animal control authority (or the police chief on appeal) can declare an individual dog "potentially dangerous" or "dangerous" based on its own bite/attack history, triggering registration, secure confinement, and off-property muzzle-and-leash rules, regardless of breed.
Violations & Fines
Violating the anti-menacing rule (PTMC 9.02.165) is a misdemeanor; failing to register or confine a declared dangerous dog (PTMC 8.04.274) is a gross misdemeanor, and the dog can be confiscated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Port Townsend ban pit bulls or other breeds?
How does a dog get declared "dangerous" here?
What happens after a dog is declared dangerous?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
How Port Townsend compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Port Townsend to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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