Olympia, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Section 18.04.060(C) of the Olympia Municipal Code sets the pet limit for every residential district in the City of Olympia, Thurston County, Washington: no more than six pet animals are permitted per dwelling unit. Two groups sit outside the count. Pet animals under four months of age are not subject to the limitation and do not count toward it. Small pet animals, such as small mammals, aquarium fish, reptiles, spiders and insects, that are kept in enclosures such as pens, cages, aquariums and terrariums within the dwelling unit, are likewise not subject to the limit and do not count.

The code defines a pet animal as any animal that has commonly been kept as a pet in family households in the United States, such as dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters and aquarium fish. The term also covers pet birds kept in indoor cages in the dwelling unit, such as canaries, cockatiels, lovebirds, budgerigar parakeets and parrots. It excludes exotic animals, wild animals and farm animals as those terms are defined by the United States Department of Agriculture in 9 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1.1.

The keeping of racing and performing pigeons is permitted as a conditional use. All other animals are permitted in residential districts only if the requirements of agricultural uses in 18.04.060(KK) are met. The section closes with a flat prohibition: the keeping of animals other than as permitted in this section is prohibited. The Olympia Municipal Code also has a separate Title 6 on animals, covering licensing, dogs at large and livestock, but the six-animal household limit in the residential use standards is the provision that caps how many pets a household can keep.