Port Townsend, WA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- PTMC 9.44
- What's banned
- Display of wild/exotic animals
- Where it applies
- Public and private property
- Penalty
- $100/day civil fine
- Exemption
- Accredited zoo/education displays
Summary
Port Townsend prohibits displaying or sponsoring a display of wild or exotic animals anywhere in the city, on public or private property, under PTMC 9.44.030.
No person may display or sponsor a display of wild or exotic animals on any public or private property within the city of Port Townsend.
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
PTMC Chapter 9.44 bars any person from displaying or sponsoring a display of wild or exotic animals within city limits. "Wild or exotic animal" is defined broadly in PTMC 9.44.020 to cover primates, non-domestic cats and dogs, bears, elephants, marine mammals, crocodilians, marsupials, snakes and reptiles, hoofed exotics, hyenas, mustelids, raccoons and relatives, and birds of prey, plus their hybrids with domestic species. Separately, PTMC 8.04.010 excludes snakes over eight feet and venomous reptiles or amphibians from the city's definition of a "companion animal." An exemption covers accredited zoos and educational sanctuary displays.
Violations & Fines
Civil infraction, not a criminal charge; a $100/day penalty per PTMC 9.44.050, doubling to $200/day for a second like violation within two years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I own a pet snake in Port Townsend?
Does the ban cover private property?
Is there any exception?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
Compare Port Townsend to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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