Animal Ordinances in Kennewick, WA: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Kennewick or are thinking about moving there, animal ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Kennewick has 8 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of animal ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Chickens & Livestock

Kennewick Municipal Code 18.12.040 permits chickens (hens only, no roosters) along with dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, fowl, and pigeons in R, HMU, and UMU zoning districts. The cap is three of any one kind and a combined total of six small animals per residential parcel.

Key details: Code: KMC 18.12.040. Chickens: Hens only, 3 max. Roosters: Prohibited. Combined Cap: 6 small animals per parcel. Districts: R, HMU, UMU.

Code Enforcement issues notice of violation under KMC 18.12.040 and Title 18 zoning. Civil penalties, orders to remove excess animals or roosters, and abatement of nuisance odor or noise. Continuing violations accrue per-day fines and may be referred to Benton County Superior Court for injunctive relief. Tri-City Animal Services may impound at-large birds.

Dog Leash Laws

Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 8.02 prohibits dogs from running at large. Off the owner's premises, a dog must be at heel or restrained by a leash not exceeding eight feet, held by the owner or a competent person. Tri-City Animal Services enforces and impounds at-large dogs.

Key details: Code: KMC Ch. 8.02 (Animal Control). Max Leash: 8 feet. City License: Not required for standard pets. Rabies Vaccine: Required for impound release. Enforcer: Tri-City Animal Services.

Civil infractions under KMC 8.02 with monetary penalties and impoundment at Tri-City Animal Services. Owners must pay impound, boarding, and rabies-verification fees before release. Repeat at-large violations escalate and may support a potentially dangerous dog determination if the dog has bitten or attacked. Criminal charges available for owners of declared dangerous dogs found at large.

Breed Restrictions

The City of Kennewick repealed its breed-specific legislation in November 2019, removing the automatic potentially-dangerous designation for pit bulls, Staffordshire terriers, and similar breeds. Dogs now qualify as dangerous or potentially dangerous only based on actual behavior under KMC 8.02. Washington State has no statewide BSL preemption.

Key details: BSL Status: Repealed Nov 2019. State Preemption: None (cities may adopt BSL). Current Code: KMC 8.02 (behavior-based). State Backstop: RCW 16.08 (Dogs). Private Limits: Landlord/insurer rules still apply.

No breed-based enforcement in Kennewick. Owners of any breed may face KMC 8.02 dangerous-dog proceedings after an actual incident, with required muzzling, six-sided enclosure, warning signage, insurance, and registration. Failure to comply with a dangerous-dog order is a criminal offense under RCW 16.08 with possible seizure and humane euthanasia of the animal.

The rules around breed restrictions in Kennewick lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Exotic Pets

Washington RCW 16.30 (Dangerous Wild Animals Act, effective July 22, 2007) prohibits ownership, possession, breeding, and import of potentially dangerous wild animals including big cats, bears, wolves, primates, crocodilians, and venomous snakes. Kennewick defers to RCW 16.30 and has no separate local exotic-pet ordinance.

Key details: State Law: RCW 16.30 (Dangerous Wild Animals). Effective: July 22, 2007. Local Add-On: None in KMC. Civil Penalty: $200 to $2,000 per animal per day. Grandfather: Pre-7/22/2007 with records.

RCW 16.30.060 imposes civil penalties of $200 to $2,000 per animal per day of violation, with each animal and each day treated as separate violations. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and local law enforcement may seize and place the animal with an accredited sanctuary at the owner's expense, plus boarding and veterinary costs.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Kennewick actively enforces its exotic pets requirements.

Animal Hoarding

Animal hoarding in Kennewick is prosecuted under Washington RCW 16.52 (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). First-degree cruelty is a Class C felony; second-degree cruelty, which reaches neglect typical of hoarding, is a misdemeanor. KMC 18.12.040 also caps small animals at three per kind and six total per residential parcel.

Key details: Cruelty Law: RCW 16.52.205 / .207. Local Cap: 3 per kind, 6 total (KMC 18.12.040). Felony Threshold: RCW 16.52.205 (1st-deg cruelty). Forfeiture: RCW 16.52.200 (owner pays costs). Enforcer: Tri-City Animal Services + KPD.

Second-degree cruelty under RCW 16.52.207 is a misdemeanor, up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. First-degree cruelty under RCW 16.52.205 is a Class C felony, up to five years in state prison. Forfeiture of animals, owner liability for impound, boarding, and veterinary costs, and court-ordered ownership bans under RCW 16.52.200. Zoning cap violations under KMC 18.12.040 carry civil penalties.

Compared to other cities, Kennewick takes a harder line on animal hoarding. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Wildlife Feeding

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife rules effective May 17, 2025 prohibit feeding deer, elk, and moose statewide to slow chronic wasting disease. RCW 77.15.790 and RCW 77.15.160 establish infractions for intentional feeding. Kennewick has no separate wildlife-feeding ordinance and defers to state law and WDFW Region 3 enforcement.

Key details: State Rule: WDFW effective May 17, 2025. Banned Species: Deer, elk, moose. Authority: RCW 77.15.160 + 77.15.790. Enforcer: WDFW Region 3 + KPD. Local Ordinance: None specific in KMC.

Feeding deer, elk, or moose is an infraction under RCW 77.15.160 with monetary penalties set by the court. Repeat or aggravated negligent feeding of large carnivores can be cited under RCW 77.15.790 with escalating penalties. WDFW Region 3 enforcement officers may order removal of attractants. Park-rule violations within Kennewick city parks are enforced by Kennewick Police and the Parks and Recreation Department.

Pet Limits

Kennewick Municipal Code 18.12.040 caps small animals at three of any one kind and a combined total of six per residential parcel in R, HMU, and UMU districts. The cap covers dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, fowl, pigeons, and hens. Roosters are prohibited. Additional animals require a Land Use Permit.

Key details: Per-Kind Cap: 3 of any one kind. Combined Cap: 6 small animals per parcel. Code: KMC 18.12.040. Exceptions: Under 10 wks, annexation grandfather, permit. Districts: R, HMU, UMU.

Code Enforcement issues notice of violation under KMC 18.12.040 and Title 18 zoning. Civil penalties, removal of excess animals, and abatement of resulting nuisance odor or noise. Continuing violations accrue per-day fines. Owners exceeding the cap may apply for a Land Use Permit under KMC 18.42 but operating without one is a violation. Cruelty charges under RCW 16.52.207 are separately available where care is deficient.

Beekeeping

Kennewick has no dedicated beekeeping ordinance. Apiculture is generally permissible as an accessory residential use subject to nuisance rules in KMC 18.12.040. Washington RCW 15.60 requires every beekeeper, regardless of hive count, to register annually with the Washington State Department of Agriculture by April 1.

Key details: Local Rule: None specific in KMC. State Law: RCW 15.60 (Apiaries). Registration: Annual by April 1 with WSDA. Liability Shield: RCW 15.60.080 (registered + compliant). Animal Cap: Bees not counted in KMC 18.12.040.

Failure to register with WSDA under RCW 15.60.021 may result in loss of the RCW 15.60.080 civil liability shield and administrative enforcement by the Department. Local nuisance issues such as swarming, aggressive colonies, or hive placement next to a property line may be addressed by Code Enforcement under KMC 18.12.040 with notice of violation, civil penalties, and abatement orders.

The rules around beekeeping in Kennewick lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

The Bottom Line

Kennewick's animal ordinances rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Kennewick is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Kennewick's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.