Bothell, WA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule type
- Outright ban, no permit or exemption in the section
- Maximum fine
- $1,000
- Maximum jail
- 90 days, or both fine and jail
- Offense class
- Misdemeanor
- Snake trigger
- Reticulated or Burmese pythons, or snakes reaching 10 feet or more
- Enforcer
- Chief of police or designee or contracted animal control authority
Summary
The City of Bothell, Washington, bans knowingly possessing, breeding, importing, exporting, bartering, buying or selling any exotic animal. Exotic animals include nonhuman primates, wild cats, bears, wild canids, venomous reptiles, large snakes and crocodilians. A violation is a misdemeanor with up to a $1,000 fine or 90 days in jail.
A. No person shall knowingly possess, breed, import, export, barter, buy, sell, or attempt to buy or sell any exotic animal(s). B. Violation of any of the provisions of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor and may be punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000 or imprisonment in jail not to exceed 90 days, or both such fine and imprisonment.
Full Breakdown
Section 6.04.030 of the Bothell Municipal Code is an outright prohibition, not a permit system. No person can knowingly possess, breed, import, export, barter, buy, sell, or attempt to buy or sell any exotic animal in the City of Bothell. The word "knowingly" matters: the ban attaches to a person who knows the animal is covered.
The definition in BMC 6.04.020(K) lists what is covered: all nonhuman primates; all wild cats of the family Felidae and their hybrids, except the domestic cat Felis catus; all species of bear; all wild carnivores of the family Canidae and their hybrids, except the domestic dog Canis familiaris; venomous reptiles and amphibians; all reticulated pythons, Burmese pythons, and snakes which may reach 10 feet or more in length; and all members of the alligator, crocodile and caimen families. A pet wolf hybrid, a serval cat, a monkey, a Burmese python or a venomous snake therefore falls inside the ban, while an ordinary house cat or dog does not.
Enforcement runs through the animal control authority, defined in 6.04.020(D) as the chief of police or designee or contracted enforcement authority, acting alone or with other municipalities. Animal control officers include any state or municipal peace officer whose duties include seizing animals. Title 6 also references appeals before the city's designated hearing examiner (6.04.020(N)).
The ban sits beside Bothell's separate rules for ordinary animals. Dogs and cats eight weeks and over must be licensed each year (6.08.010), and limits on the keeping of animals are found in BMC 12.06.140. The definition of livestock in 6.04.020(S) covers cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, horses, llamas and other large grazing animals, which is a different category from the exotic animals banned here.
Violations & Fines
Under BMC 6.04.030(B), a violation is a misdemeanor and can be punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000 or imprisonment in jail not to exceed 90 days, or both. The ban covers the whole chain: possessing, breeding, importing, exporting, bartering, buying, selling, and attempting to buy or sell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a monkey or other primate in Bothell?
Are pet snakes banned in Bothell?
Are wolf hybrids or wild cats allowed as pets in Bothell?
What is the penalty for keeping an exotic animal in Bothell?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bothell
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Exotic Pets in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle exotic pets.