How Lakewood Handles Animal Ordinances: A Practical Guide

Lakewood maintains 133 local ordinances across all categories, and 14 of those deal specifically with animal ordinances. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Lakewood falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Bird Protection

Lakewood, Washington makes it unlawful to tease, injure, kill, or otherwise harass any bird, fowl or other animal, or to feed one, inside any City park area under LMC 8.76.341. The rule covers throwing objects or striking wildlife with a stick or weapon as well as deliberate feeding, and it applies across every park managed by the Lakewood Parks and Recreation Department.

Key details: Prohibited acts: Harassing, injuring, killing, or feeding park wildlife. Covers: Birds, fowl, and other park animals. Governing section: LMC 8.76.341. Maximum fine: $125.00 civil infraction under LMC 8.76.570. Related ban: Mechanical trapping devices, LMC 8.76.410.

Feeding, throwing objects at, striking, or injuring any bird, fowl, or other animal in a Lakewood park is a civil infraction under LMC 8.76.570, with a fine of up to $125.00. Using a mechanical trapping device such as a snare in a City park is a separate violation under LMC 8.76.410, and Department staff can deny future park permits to repeat violators under LMC 8.76.140.

Veterinary Clinic Zoning

Lakewood, Washington's use table permits veterinary clinics in its neighborhood commercial, downtown, general commercial and light industrial zones (NC1, NC2, CBD, C1, C2, I1) and allows them by conditional use in Public/Institutional (PI) zoning, but bars them entirely from every residential district. LMC 18A.40.040(B)(3) requires animal treatment areas to be soundproofed.

Key details: Governing table: LMC 18A.40.040(A). Operating condition: LMC 18A.40.040(B)(3). Permitted zones: NC1, NC2, CBD, C1, C2, I1. Conditional-use zone: PI (Public/Institutional). Residential zones: Not allowed in any.

Operating a veterinary clinic in a zone where it is not listed, or without the required soundproofing under LMC 18A.40.040(B)(3), is a Title 18A violation under LMC 18A.20.105(A). The City Manager enforces Title 18A to the fullest extent of the law, and a violation is a Class 2 civil infraction under Chapter 1.48 LMC unless it also constitutes a public nuisance or safety hazard, which is addressed under Chapter 1.44 LMC. The Director can revoke a permit obtained on false or misleading information under LMC 18A.20.105(C).

Chickens & Livestock

Lakewood, Washington allows up to sixteen poultry, pigeons, ducks or rabbits per acre as an accessory use on any residential lot under LMC 18A.40.030(B)(3), with hutches set back ten feet and pens twenty feet from property lines, while roosters, peacocks, turkeys and all livestock other than horses are banned citywide.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 18A.40.030(B)(3). Density limit: 16 birds/rabbits per acre. Hutch setback: 10 ft from property lines. Pen/coop setback: 20 ft from property lines. Banned citywide: Roosters, peacocks, turkeys, most livestock.

Keeping a prohibited animal, such as a rooster, peacock or livestock other than horses, anywhere in Lakewood is a Title 18A violation under LMC 18A.20.105(A), enforced by the City Manager as a Class 2 civil infraction under Chapter 1.48 LMC. Exceeding the sixteen-bird-per-acre density limit, ignoring the ten- or twenty-foot setbacks, or allowing roaming birds or animals to become a nuisance under LMC 18A.40.030(B)(3)(a) can also trigger enforcement, and a nuisance-level violation may instead be addressed under Chapter 1.44 LMC.

Beekeeping

Lakewood, Washington allows noncommercial backyard beekeeping under LMC 18A.40.030(B)(1) on any lot of at least 6,000 square feet with a single-family home, capped at three colonies, but requires zoning certification from the Director, six-foot flight barriers, a dedicated water source and minimum setbacks before a single hive goes in the ground.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 18A.40.030(B)(1). Minimum lot size: 6,000 sq ft with single-family home. Colony limit: 3 colonies, noncommercial. Hive setback: 5 ft from property line, 10 ft from dwellings. Flight barrier: 6 ft tall, solid fence/wall/hedge.

Keeping bees without the required Director zoning certification and affidavit, exceeding the three-colony noncommercial limit, or failing to maintain the setback, barrier or water-source requirements of LMC 18A.40.030(B)(1) is a Title 18A violation under LMC 18A.20.105(A), enforced as a Class 2 civil infraction under Chapter 1.48 LMC. Knowingly keeping Africanized bees violates the section outright regardless of colony count, and the Director may revoke a zoning certification issued on false or misleading information.

Breed Restrictions

Lakewood declares a dog dangerous or potentially dangerous under LMC 6.10, incorporating Washington's Chapter 16.08 RCW by reference. An animal control officer with probable cause serves the owner a written declaration describing the dog, the incident and the restrictions imposed. The owner can request a meeting with the City Manager and later appeal the declaration to Lakewood Municipal Court within 20 calendar days.

Key details: Declaring authority: Animal control officer, probable cause. Appeal deadline: 20 calendar days, no fee. Potentially dangerous permit fee: $250 initial, $250 annual renewal. Dangerous dog permit fee: $500 initial, $500 annual renewal. Liability coverage (dangerous dog): $250,000 bond or insurance.

Violating any provision of LMC Chapter 6.10 is a misdemeanor under LMC 6.10.050(A), punishable under LMC 6.02.010's definition by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, except where Chapter 16.08 RCW sets a different penalty. Animal control must immediately confiscate a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog that commits an act listed in RCW 16.08.100(1). The owner pays all shelter, veterinary, and breed-identification costs from the seizure, and Municipal Court may order the dog destroyed if it finds a continuing threat of serious harm.

This is one of the stricter rules in Lakewood's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Dog Leash Laws

Lakewood makes it unlawful for a dog, cat or other animal to be at large on any public street, sidewalk, park, playground or public building, or to trespass on private property without the owner's permission. LMC 6.02.010 defines "at large" as off the owner's premises and not restrained by leash or chain. Violators face civil fines that escalate with repeat offenses.

Key details: At-large ban: Public streets, parks, private property. First offense fine: Up to $75.00. Second offense fine: Up to $125.00. Third+ offense fine: Up to $250.00. Off-leash exception: City-designated off-leash areas only.

A first at-large citation under LMC 6.04.060 carries a civil infraction fine up to $75.00, a second up to $125.00, and a third or subsequent violation up to $250.00, with every day of noncompliance treated as its own infraction. Animal control officers or City law enforcement may seize and impound an at-large dog immediately, and dogs that bite or repeatedly threaten people can trigger separate dangerous-dog proceedings under LMC Chapter 6.10.

Cat Rules

Lakewood requires a current license tag on any cat over eight weeks old, whether it stays home or roams, and any cat off its owner's property must be licensed regardless of age. Female cats in heat must be confined so they can't reach a male, and unlicensed or at-large cats can be seized by animal control under LMC Title 6.

Key details: License required at: 8 weeks of age or older. Off-premises rule: License required regardless of age. License term: Expires December 31st, no proration. Late renewal penalty: $2.00 per license after Feb 28. Female cat in heat: Must be confined, no breeding roam.

An unlicensed cat can be seized and impounded, and LMC 6.06.060 makes violating the licensing sections a civil infraction punishable by a fine up to $250.00, dismissed on payment of $25.00 in court costs if the owner later shows proof of a valid license. Cats seized under the at-large or confinement-of-female-in-heat rules face the same impoundment, redemption fee, and boarding-charge process set out in LMC 6.02.070 through 6.02.085, including a mandatory spay/neuter deposit after a second impound in 12 months.

Pet Limits

Lakewood lets a household keep up to five dogs and/or cats without a kennel license, but owning, maintaining, or having six or more dogs and cats combined requires a commercial, hobby, or private kennel/cattery license under LMC 6.06.023. The same threshold also covers pet shops and grooming parlors operating without the applicable license.

Key details: License trigger: Six or more dogs and/or cats. Hobby kennel range: 6-19 adult dogs/cats. Private kennel/cattery range: 6-19 altered pets only. Kennel facility required: If keeping more than 10. Exempt entity: Humane Society for Tacoma/Pierce County.

Operating over the six-animal threshold, or running a kennel, cattery, or pet shop, without the required license can draw denial, suspension, or revocation of the license for any ground listed in LMC Chapter 5.02, and exceeding the numeric or activity limits of a hobby or private kennel classification subjects the keeper to penalties or a requirement to obtain the higher-tier license, as determined by the enforcement agency.

Pet Store Rules

Lakewood does not ban retail pet sales, but LMC 6.06.023 requires any pet shop, defined as an establishment that acquires animals bred by others and sells or boards them, to hold a license before selling animals to the public. Applicants must disclose every species they intend to sell.

Key details: Pet shop defined: Sells/boards animals bred by others. License required: Before selling animals to the public. Species disclosure: Full species list required on application. Zoning check: Planning and Public Works letter required. Public-place sales: Barred unless licensed, LMC 6.04.100.

Operating a pet shop without the required license, or selling animals in a public place without a licensed business per LMC 6.04.100, exposes the operator to license denial, suspension, or revocation under LMC Chapter 5.02, and to the general penalty provisions governing unlicensed animal-related businesses in LMC 6.06.023. The City's Department of Planning and Public Works and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department both review compliance before any license issues.

Pet Groomer Rules

Lakewood defines a "grooming parlor" as any place where animals are bathed, clipped or combed for a fee, and LMC 6.06.023 requires that business to hold a license before operating, alongside commercial kennels, pet shops and catteries. Applicants must prove their location meets the City's zoning rules before the license issues.

Key details: Grooming parlor defined: Bathes/clips/combs animals for a fee. License required: Before operating in Lakewood. Zoning proof: Planning and Public Works letter. Health review: Tacoma-Pierce County Health Dept sanitary statement. Ownership transfer: Approved automatically after 30 days.

Running a grooming parlor without the license required by LMC 6.06.023(B) exposes the operator to license denial, suspension, or revocation under the grounds listed in LMC Chapter 5.02, and the City's Planning and Public Works and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Departments can withhold approval until zoning and sanitation requirements are met. The City may also decline to approve an ownership transfer that is not filed and reviewed within the 30-day window.

Microchipping

Lakewood doesn't require microchipping for every pet, but once a dog is declared potentially dangerous or dangerous under LMC Chapter 6.10, its owner must implant a microchip for permanent identification and keep that record on file with both the microchip company and the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County.

Key details: Microchip required for: Dogs declared potentially dangerous/dangerous. Records held by: Microchip company and Humane Society. General pet requirement: No microchip mandate for other pets. Also required: Locked pen, leash, warning sign. Violation penalty: Misdemeanor, up to 90 days/$1,000.

Failing to microchip a dog after a potentially dangerous or dangerous declaration is a misdemeanor under LMC 6.10.050(A), punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine as defined in LMC 6.02.010, unless Chapter 16.08 RCW sets a different penalty for the specific violation. The animal control agency may also immediately confiscate the dog under LMC 6.10.050(B), with the owner responsible for the shelter, veterinary, and identification costs of the seizure.

Exotic Pets

Lakewood, Washington, in Pierce County, bans private possession of exotic animals under LMC 6.14.030. The ban covers venomous snakes, primates, bears, wild cats, wolf hybrids and crocodilians, with violations charged as a misdemeanor carrying up to $1,000 in fines and 90 days in jail.

Key details: Governing chapter: LMC Chapter 6.14. Maximum fine: $1,000. Maximum jail term: 90 days. Appeal window: 15 days to City Manager. Breeding: Also prohibited, even where exempt.

Violating LMC 6.14.030 by possessing or maintaining an exotic animal is a misdemeanor under LMC 6.14.050, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to 90 days in jail. An exotic animal kept in violation of the chapter can also be impounded and, in exigent circumstances defined in LMC 6.14.060, euthanized by the animal control authority; the owner may appeal an impoundment/euthanasia decision to the City Manager within 15 days of notice.

This is one of the stricter rules in Lakewood's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Wildlife Feeding

Lakewood, Washington bans feeding birds, fowl or any animal in city park areas under LMC 8.76.341, alongside teasing, molesting or throwing objects at wildlife. It is a civil infraction under LMC 8.76.570 punishable by a fine of up to $125.00.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 8.76.341. Violation class: Civil infraction. Maximum fine: $125.00. Penalty section: LMC 8.76.570. Scope: Any City of Lakewood park area.

Feeding wildlife or otherwise teasing, molesting or throwing objects at any animal, bird or fowl in a Lakewood park area, in violation of LMC 8.76.341, is a civil infraction under LMC 8.76.570, punishable by a fine of no more than $125.00. Park staff or police may also eject a violator from the park under the administrative sanctions in LMC 8.76.590 for interfering with the City's administration of its parks.

Mandatory Spay/Neuter

Lakewood, Washington, requires a $35.00 alteration deposit before a repeatedly impounded, unaltered dog or cat can be redeemed under LMC 6.02.085. The deposit is refunded on proof of spay or neuter, or waived if a licensed veterinarian certifies the surgery would harm the animal.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 6.02.085. Trigger: 2nd+ impound in 12 months, unaltered. Deposit amount: $35.00. Refund condition: Proof of alteration from a vet. Waiver condition: Vet letter procedure is harmful.

Failure to pay the $35.00 alteration deposit under LMC 6.02.085 when required simply bars redemption of the animal; it is not itself charged as a separate misdemeanor or infraction. The animal remains impounded, subject to the animal control agency's general authority under LMC 6.02.080/6.02.070 to humanely destroy or otherwise dispose of an unredeemed dog, cat or other animal after the applicable 48-hour redemption windows expire.

The Bottom Line

Lakewood is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 14 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Lakewood, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

This guide is based on Lakewood's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.