Everett, WA Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Animals adopted from Everett shelter
- Requirement
- Spay/neuter before adoption completes
- Exceptions
- 4: age, health, transfer to rescue
- Not required for
- Pets never surrendered to shelter
Summary
Everett requires every animal adopted from the city shelter to be spayed or neutered before the adoption is completed, with four narrow exceptions for underage or medically unfit animals.
Any animal held for the prescribed period and not redeemed by its owner, and which is neither dangerous nor unhealthy, may be released for adoption, subject to the following conditions:
a. The adoptive owner agrees to furnish proper care to the animal in accord with this chapter;
b. Payment of required fees, including any medical care costs incurred during impoundment; and
c. All animals will be altered (i.e., spayed or neutered) prior to completion of the adoption process. This includes receipt of all applicable fees.
4. There are four exceptions to the mandatory spay and neuter requirement:
a. The first exception is for unaltered animals that are temporarily housed at the shelter and returned to their owners.
b. The second exception is for kittens under eight weeks of age weighing less than two pounds, puppies under six weeks of age, or kittens and puppies who are unhealthy to safely spay and/or neuter. Shelter staff has the option of (1) if shelter space is available, caring for these animals until they can be safely altered; (2) releasing them to a rescue group as noted in subsection (G)(4)(d) of this section; or (3) euthanizing them.
c. The third exception is for animals that have a medical condition that makes it dangerous to undergo a spay or neuter surgery. These animals will be subject to the same options as outlined in subsection (G)(4)(b) of this section.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4194-26, passed July 29, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Everett's shelter-adoption rule under EMC 6.04.090(G)(3)(c) requires every dog or cat adopted out of the Everett Animal Shelter in Snohomish County, Washington, to be spayed or neutered before the adoption is finalized, with the cost folded into the applicable fees. EMC 6.04.090(G)(4) then lists four exceptions: animals temporarily housed and returned to their owner, underage or medically unhealthy kittens and puppies, animals with a medical condition making surgery dangerous, and animals transported to and adopted out by outside rescue agencies. This is a shelter-adoption mandate, not a blanket spay/neuter law for every pet owner in the city.
Violations & Fines
There's no separate penalty clause for this subsection; noncompliance simply blocks completion of a shelter adoption until the animal is altered or one of the four exceptions applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Everett require all pet owners to spay or neuter?
What if a kitten is too young for surgery?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Everett
Compare Everett to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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Mandatory Spay/Neuter in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle mandatory spay/neuter.