Animal Ordinances in Puyallup, WA (2026)
12 verified animal ordinances for Puyallup, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Puyallup allows chickens and other small farm animals as an accessory residential use with lot-area-based density limits and 50-foot setbacks, while large farm animals like horses or cows need at least an acre plus a half-acre of pasture per animal.
Backyard Chickens and Farm Animal Rules in Puyallup
Some RestrictionsPMC §§ 8.08.010, 8.08.020
The keeping of small farm animals, including chickens, geese, ducks or other domestic fowl, rabbits, and miniature goats, is permitted subject to the following standards: ... The maximum number of all fowl permitted accessory to a residence shall be: (a) One per 1,000 square feet of lot area on lots less than one-half acre. (b) One per 500 square feet of lot area on lots greater than one-half a...
Dog Leash Laws
Dogs must be leashed on any public street, sidewalk, parkway or public place in Puyallup, with the leash capped at eight feet, and dogs are barred outright from food establishments and school grounds during school hours.
Puyallup Dog Leash Law: 8-Foot Maximum
Some RestrictionsPMC § 8.04.160
Nothing in this chapter shall be held to require the leashing of any dog while on the private premises of anyone consenting to have the dog on his premises unleashed. No dog shall be permitted, except on a leash, to use or be on any public street, sidewalk, parkway or public place within the city limits. ... No leash shall be greater than eight feet in length.
Breed Restrictions
Puyallup has no breed ban: Chapter 8.18 declares individual dogs potentially dangerous or dangerous based on documented behavior, requiring a permit, a proper enclosure, and liability coverage up to $500,000 for a declared dangerous dog.
Puyallup's Dangerous Dog Rules Are Behavior-Based
Significant RestrictionsPMC §§ 8.18.010, 8.18.020, 8.18.040
"Dangerous dog" means any dog that, when unprovoked: (a) inflicts severe injury on or kills a human being without provocation, or (b) inflicts severe injury on or kills an animal without provocation while the animal inflicting the injury is off the property where its owner resides, or (c) has been previously found to be potentially dangerous, the owner having received notice of such and the ani...
Beekeeping
Puyallup allows honey bee hives as an accessory residential use with state registration required and hive counts scaled to lot size, from two hives on a quarter acre up to two more per additional acre, plus a 25-foot lot-line setback.
Puyallup Backyard Beekeeping Hive Limits
Some RestrictionsPMC § 8.08.030
The keeping of bees is permitted subject to the following criteria: ... Honey bees must be registered with the State Department of Agriculture according to provisions of RCW 15.60.021 and meet the following restrictions: (a) A maximum of two honey bee hives on property up to one-quarter acre, or up to four hives on property one-quarter to one acre, plus two hives per additional acre, is permitt...
Exotic Pets
Puyallup Municipal Code Chapter 8.20 bans possessing exotic animals in the city, including venomous or constricting snakes, primates, bears, and nondomesticated cats and canines. Owners who had the animal before the ordinance took effect could keep it only by registering within 30 calendar days.
Puyallup Bans Exotic Animals as Pets
Heavy RestrictionsPuyallup Municipal Code § 8.20.020
It is unlawful for any owner to possess or maintain an exotic animal within the city of Puyallup, unless the owner possessed or maintained the exotic animal on or before the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter; provided, the owner may continue to possess and maintain such animal until the animal expires, if within 30 calendar days the owner satisfies the registration requir...
Wildlife Feeding
Puyallup bans feeding fowl in city parks except at spots the parks director has designated for it. The rule sits inside the same section that bars molesting or injuring park wildlife, and is enforced as a Chapter 9.20 park-code violation.
Puyallup Restricts Feeding Fowl in City Parks
Some RestrictionsPuyallup Municipal Code § 9.20.060
It is unlawful in any manner to tease, annoy, disturb, molest, catch, injure or kill or to throw any stone or missile of any kind at or strike with any stick or weapon any animal, bird, fowl or fish in any park, or to feed any fowl in the park except at areas designated by the parks director.
Pet Limits
Puyallup Municipal Code caps household pets at a combined total of five cats and dogs over three months old on any property that is not a licensed kennel. Keeping more without a kennel license is a code violation.
Puyallup Caps Pets at Five Per Property
Some RestrictionsPMC § 8.04.185
No more than a total of five cats or dogs, or a combination of a total of five cats and dogs, over the age of three months may be kept on property that is not a licensed kennel.
Cat Rules
Puyallup requires every cat seven months or older to be licensed annually, treats a feral cat in the shelter as a euthanasia case rather than a candidate for release, and declares an unconfined female cat in heat a nuisance subject to seizure.
Cat Licensing and At-Large Rules in Puyallup
Some RestrictionsPMC §§ 8.04.020, 8.04.075, 8.04.090
Adult cats: seven months or older altered $12.00 unaltered $60.00 ... Feral cats can spread disease in the animal shelter. As a result, any cats impounded that are determined by the animal control officer to be feral will be separated from the other animals in the shelter and will be humanely destroyed as soon as possible. ... Every female dog or cat in heat shall be confined in a building or s...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Puyallup does not require every pet to be spayed or neutered, but an unaltered dog or cat impounded more than once in a 12-month period can't be redeemed until the owner posts a $75.00 refundable deposit tied to proof of alteration.
Repeat-Impound Spay/Neuter Rule in Puyallup
Light RestrictionsPMC § 8.04.130
No unaltered dog or cat that is impounded more than once in any 12-month period may be redeemed by any person until the sum of $75.00 is paid to the animal control authority as a refundable deposit. This deposit shall be held by the animal shelter to ensure that the spay/neuter and microchip procedures are performed. ... Refund. The deposit shall be refunded upon a showing of proof of alteratio...
Microchipping
Puyallup does not mandate microchipping for every pet, but it is built into shelter adoption fees, is one path to clearing a repeat-impound deposit, and is mandatory identification for any dog declared potentially dangerous or dangerous.
When Puyallup Requires a Pet Microchip
Light RestrictionsPMC §§ 8.04.020(9)(a), 8.04.130(3), 8.18.030(2)
Adoption Fees. Adoption fees shall include an animal license, spaying/neutering of the animal and a microchip. ... Exception. ... The deposit shall not be required if the owner or other person redeeming the animal provides a written statement from a licensed veterinarian that the spay, neuter or microchip installation procedure would be harmful to the animal. ... A potentially dangerous dog or ...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Veterinary clinics with outdoor dog kennels in Puyallup's C commercial and M industrial zones must comply with PMC §§ 20.30.045(9) and 20.35.035(14): any exterior dog-impound area needs a masonry or equivalent wall at least six feet high, set back 25 feet from adjoining residential zoning, with no offensive odor or noise reaching neighbors.
Puyallup Veterinary Clinic Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsPuyallup Municipal Code § 20.30.045(9)
Dog Kennel/Veterinary Clinics. Dog kennels, whether operated as accessory to another use (e.g., veterinary clinic) or as a stand-alone operation, shall meet the following performance standards: (a) Any exterior areas where dogs are impounded shall be completely surrounded by masonry or equivalent wall of at least six feet in height and shall be set back at least 25 feet from the nearest adjacen...
Bird Protection
Puyallup's park code makes it unlawful to tease, molest, catch, injure or kill any bird, fowl, animal or fish in a city park, including throwing stones or striking one with a stick. The rule is enforced by park staff and police under Chapter 9.20.
Puyallup Bars Harming Birds and Wildlife in Parks
Some RestrictionsPuyallup Municipal Code § 9.20.060
It is unlawful in any manner to tease, annoy, disturb, molest, catch, injure or kill or to throw any stone or missile of any kind at or strike with any stick or weapon any animal, bird, fowl or fish in any park
Looking for Pierce County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Puyallup city rules.
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