Whatcom County, WA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- State rule
- RCW 16.08.110(1), no breed bans
- Test exemption
- AKC Canine Good Citizen or equivalent
- Exemption length
- At least 2 years
- Local basis
- Behavior, WCC 6.04.020(H),(Q)
- Declaration authority
- Animal control authority, WCC 6.04.090
- Leash limit
- 6 feet, muzzle required
- Enforcement
- Misdemeanor to gross misdemeanor
Summary
Washington law bars Whatcom County from banning or specially regulating a dog because of its breed unless the county lets any dog earn an exemption by passing a recognized behavioral test, so the county's own dangerous-dog rules under WCC 6.04.090 through 6.04.120 are written around a dog's documented conduct, not its breed, before any confinement, muzzle, or registration requirement attaches.
A city or county may not prohibit the possession of a dog based upon its breed, impose requirements specific to possession of a dog based upon its breed, or declare a dog dangerous or potentially dangerous based on its breed unless all of the following conditions are met: (a) The city or county has established and maintains a reasonable process for exempting any dog from breed-based regulations or a breed ban if the dog passes the American kennel club canine good citizen test or a reasonably equivalent canine behavioral test as determined by the city or county; (b) Dogs that pass the American kennel club canine good citizen test or a reasonably equivalent canine behavioral test are exempt from breed-based regulations for a period of at least two years...
Full Breakdown
110(1), enacted in 2019, prohibits a Washington city or county from prohibiting possession of a dog based on its breed, imposing breed-specific requirements, or declaring a dog dangerous or potentially dangerous based on its breed unless the jurisdiction maintains a process exempting any dog that passes the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test or an equivalent behavioral test, keeps that exemption in force for at least two years, allows retesting to maintain it, and gives a dog that fails the test a reasonable chance to retest.
Subsection (2) clarifies the law does not stop animal control from documenting a dog's breed or appearance solely for identifying a dog already declared dangerous. 090 lets the animal control authority declare a dog dangerous only on evidence such as a citizen's written complaint, a filed bite report, an officer's own observation, or the dog's documented history, never on breed alone. 120.
Violations & Fines
WCC 6.04.110 makes it a misdemeanor for the owner of a dog declared potentially dangerous to keep it anywhere but securely confined on the property, or to take it off the property without a secure muzzle and a leash, under the control of someone at least 15 years old. It becomes a gross misdemeanor if that dog then bites or attacks unprovoked, and WCC 6.04.130 lets an animal control officer request a district court hearing that can end in the dog's release, court-ordered removal from the county, or humane euthanasia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Whatcom County ban a dog breed like pit bulls?
How does Whatcom County actually decide a dog is 'dangerous'?
What happens once a dog is declared dangerous in Whatcom County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whatcom County
How Whatcom County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Whatcom County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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