By Patrick Kuklinski
What are the dog laws in Washington? Does Washington have dog laws? If you live in this state, you might be wondering what the law says about issues like rabies vaccination, dog bites, dog cruelty, and dog chains.
Read on for more information about dog laws in Washington.
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All dogs residing in Washington must receive a rabies vaccination. This must be done when the dog is old enough to safely receive their first shot, typically eight weeks of age. After their first vaccination, dogs must be vaccinated either annually or triannually depending on the vaccination they receive. While there is no statewide legal enforcement of this law, vaccinating your dog prevents them from contracting rabies and/or being put down in the event they bite someone. Even friendly dogs may bite on occasion under stressful circumstances, so it’s best to practice safety first and always keep your dog up to date on their recommended vaccines.
If an unvaccinated dog bites a person, they will be considered as a potential rabies carrier. In Washington they can be quarantined for up to six months to screen for rabies symptoms, which can be detrimental to the animal. It is legal for them to subsequently be euthanized with no hold, when displaying symptoms, in order to test for rabies. While this is a sad outcome, it is avoidable by staying up to date on your pet’s vaccines. Vaccinated dogs will have a ten-day quarantine, which is often performed by allowing the dog to stay contained in the owner’s home.
Section 16.08.040 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) states:
“The owner of any dog which shall bite any person while such person is in or on a public place or lawfully in or on a private place including the property of the owner of such dog, shall be liable for such damages as may be suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of such dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.”
What Washington’s dog bite laws boil down to is that as a dog’s owner you are liable for any injuries your dog causes to another person both in public, and if the person is invited to be there and did not provoke the dog, on your own property.
There are cases where dogs will not be considered aggressors in attacks, even if previously proven to be dangerous. Dog owners are not responsible for attacks in which the dog was provoked or protecting the owner. This could include yelling at, hitting, or throwing objects at the dog. Additionally, if you were trespassing on private property and then were attacked by an otherwise contained dog, the dog’s owner would not be liable.
Additionally, in some cases, there may be a “common sense” prohibition on finding a dog owner liable. For example, most people know to leave an eating dog or a mother with puppies alone. Bothering an animal when you could predict aggressive behavior will not always result in liability for the owner.
A dangerous dog, particularly a repeat offender, may be euthanized if this is determined to be in the best interest of the safety of the community. After one documented bite, a dog is considered vicious in the state of Washington. This means that subsequent bites may lead to euthanasia. Additionally, a severe enough attack could lead the court to determine euthanasia is the best course of action even for a first offender.
Washington’s animal abandonment laws mainly are in place for situations such as abandoning a pet in the custody of another (boarding kennel, veterinarian, petsitter) and either not returning for them or not getting consent in the first place. While the law is intended for these situations, abandoning your dog in the custody of no one (such as on the side of the road) could still be classified as animal cruelty, as you are leaving the animal without the things they need for survival.
There are rarely charges for animal abandonment in Washington, but if animal cruelty is proven, the defendant could be charged with a misdemeanor. This could lead to jail time or a fine (more likely, a fine).
Washington law determines that when an owner abandons an animal, they relinquish all rights to them. However, the old owner may still be responsible for costs of care in cases such as abandonment at a boarding kennel.
Washington has a wide range of defined actions that are viewed as animal cruelty. Of course, it is illegal to hit, kick, beat, or otherwise inflict physical pain or suffering on a dog unless in the case of self defense or an otherwise justifiable action. It’s also considered animal cruelty to deprive a dog of things that one could reasonably assume they need — food, water, shelter, exercise, or vet care.
Animal cruelty in Washington is most commonly associated with a misdemeanor charge. However, Washington considers it aggravated cruelty to kill or seriously injure a pet on purpose and in a sadistic manner, or with the intention of causing extreme pain. Aggravated animal cruelty is a felony charge, not a misdemeanor.
As in the other 49 states, dogfighting is a felony in Washington. This doesn’t apply only to those directly fighting their animals. Charges can also occur for those betting on or attending dogfights in Washington. It’s also illegal to train dogs for the intent of fighting, even if you aren’t directly participating in dogfights.
Tethering or chaining a dog is legal in Washington. However, Washington has regulations in place intended to protect tethered dogs from harm. Breaking Washington’s tethering laws is illegal, and could result in an animal cruelty charge in severe cases. Washington has a lengthy list of tethering ordinances, so read up before tethering — and remember that individual counties may have their own additional ordinances. However, Washington’s ordinances are mainly common-sense rules intended to prevent dog abuse.
For example, “(g) A dog shall not be tethered by means of a choke, pinch, slip, halter, or prong-type collar, or by any means other than with a properly fitted buckle-type collar or harness that provides enough room between the collar or harness and the dog’s throat to allow normal breathing and swallowing.” Essentially, what this boils down to is that a tethered dog can’t be put on a tether that will allow them to choke or injure themselves. “(f) A dog shall not be tethered in a manner that results in the dog being left in unsafe or unsanitary conditions or that forces the dog to stand, sit, or lie down in its own excrement or urine.” All that’s being asked of the owner is to keep the dog’s surroundings sanitary and safe.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund ranks Washington number 10 out of all 50 US States for animal protection laws. This makes Washington a “top-tier” state by their standards! Why does Washington rank so high? Overall, this state’s animal protection laws are well-developed. Washington has a wide range of care standards/requirements including food, water, shelter, care, and space, which are well-defined. Additionally, Washington has a mandatory post-conviction possession ban, keeping animal cruelty offenders from adopting more animals.
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