Island County, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Private kennel threshold
- more than 10 dogs or cats
- License required from
- Animal Control Division
- License term
- 12 months, renewable
- Lapse deadline
- 90 days past renewal date
- Excluded
- shelters, pet shops, vet clinics
- Below threshold
- no separate pet-count cap
Summary
Keeping more than ten adult dogs, ten adult cats, or a mix of both for personal, non-commercial purposes anywhere in unincorporated Island County makes the property a 'private kennel' that must be licensed by the Animal Control Division under Chapter 6.10, even though there is no lower cap on ordinary household pet ownership.
Private kennel means any location where more than ten (10) adult dogs, ten (10) adult cats, or a combination thereof, are kept for personal, non-commercial purposes where the owner(s) does not receive compensation. This definition shall include but not be limited to non-profit animal rescues, shelters, sanctuaries, etc. Animal shelters owned, operated or maintained under contract to the county, pet shops, and veterinary clinics or hospitals where boarding is incidental to treatment are not private kennels. ... Private kennels located in the county shall be licensed as required by this section. All applicants seeking a private kennel license must submit a completed application for license with all applicable documentation and fees prescribed in the Island County Animal Control Division's fee schedule. Private kennel licenses shall be for a 12-month period and shall be renewed on or before the expiration of such period. ... All renewal rights to an existing license shall cease to exist ninety (90) days after the renewal date, and continued operation of the kennel shall be deemed operation of an illegal kennel.
Full Breakdown
020 defines a private kennel as any location where more than ten adult dogs, ten adult cats, or a combination of both are kept for personal, non-commercial purposes where the owner receives no compensation, and it expressly includes non-profit animal rescues, shelters and sanctuaries operated on that basis. County-contracted animal shelters, pet shops, and veterinary clinics or hospitals where boarding is only incidental to treatment are excluded from the definition. 020 requires a private kennel license from the Island County Animal Control Division: the owner files an application with a diagram of the facility (unless it's the whole of a private residence) and a description of the maximum number and types of animals kept, pays the fees on the Animal Control Division's schedule, and the license runs for a 12-month period that must be renewed before it expires. , record-keeping, and enclosure size, and the Animal Control Division can inspect the premises at any time. 08.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than ten dogs, cats, or a combination without a private kennel license is operating an unlicensed kennel under chapter 6.10, and if a license lapses more than ninety days after its renewal date, continued operation is deemed an illegal kennel outright. The Animal Control Division can deny, revoke, or refuse to renew a private kennel license for unpaid fees, an incomplete application, failing an inspection, or noncompliance with the chapter's operating standards, with revocation appealable to the county hearing examiner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs or cats can I legally keep at home in unincorporated Island County?
Do backyard animal rescues need a kennel license in Island County?
How long does an Island County private kennel license last?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Island County
Compare Island County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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