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It is unlawful:

A. To interfere with, hinder, or molest an animal control officer while in the exercise of his duties;

B. For an owner to fail to prevent an animal from running at large, except as permitted under MMC 9.28.065;

C. Reserved;

D. For an owner to fail to prevent a domesticated animal from being a public nuisance by:

1. Molesting passersby,

2. Habitually chasing vehicles or persons,

3. Traveling upon public grounds,

4. Damaging or destroying property of persons other than the owner of the domesticated animal,

5. Scattering garbage and tipping over garbage cans,

6. Habitually running at large, except as permitted under MMC 9.28.065,

7. Disturbing the peace by causing, permitting or otherwise failing to prevent an animal to audibly bark, bay, cry, howl or make any other noise continuously for a period of ten minutes or more or intermittently for one-half hour or more at any time of day or night or more to the reasonable disturbance of any person;

E. To keep, harbor or maintain any domesticated animal known to be infected with a contagious disease endangering the health of man or beast, unless under the treatment of a veterinarian;

F. To be the owner of a dog or cat not vaccinated with a modified live virus type vaccine for rabies within the past two years which has been alleged to have bitten a person or to fail to safely quarantine any animal alleged to have bitten a person or other animal by:

1. Securing said animal on the owner’s premises with the approval and under the supervision of the city animal control officer and not allowing said animal to be at large or to come in contact with any other person or animals, or

2. Placing said animal in a veterinary hospital, or

3. Impounding said animal, or

4. Refusing to allow the animal control officer to impound said animal when said officer has probable cause to believe that such person has failed to comply with the quarantine requirements of subsection (F)(1), (F)(2) or (F)(3) of this section;

G. To knowingly or negligently commit acts of cruelty to animals.

1. General acts of cruelty include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. To subject any animal under a person’s ownership, custody or control to cruel neglect, or

b. To kill without legal privilege any animal under the ownership, custody or control of another person;

2. Specific acts of cruelty to animals include but are not limited to the following:

a. For any person owning, having charge or custody of any animal, except in the case of any emergency, to deprive any such animal of necessary and adequate food and drink, shelter, rest, sanitation, ventilation, space or medical attention and the animal suffers unnecessary or unjustifiable physical pain as a result of the failure; or

b. Abandons the animal, within the meaning of RCW 16.52.011;

3. In accordance with RCW 16.52.085, if a law enforcement officer or animal control officer has probable cause to believe that an owner of a domestic animal has committed animal cruelty, the officer may authorize, with a warrant, the seizure and removal of the animal to a suitable place for feeding and care. An animal may be seized and removed without a warrant only if the animal is in an immediate life-threatening condition;

4. Upon conviction for animal cruelty, the defendant shall, in addition to all other applicable penalties and remedies, make restitution to the city of Monroe for all veterinary and kennel expenses incurred by the city;

5. Any animal seized and removed from an owner pursuant to this section shall not thereafter be released to the owner during investigation of or prosecution for animal cruelty. Upon conviction for animal cruelty the owner shall forfeit any interest in the seized and removed animal;

H. To fail to make appearance in court pursuant to a uniform animal control citation or complaint and the provisions of this chapter or failure to appear pursuant to an order of the court in such matter under this chapter;

I. It shall be unlawful for the owner or person having charge of any animal to permit, either willfully or by failure to exercise due care, such animal to commit a public nuisance by defecating in any area of the city other than the premises of the owner or person having charge or control of the animal, unless said owner or person having charge takes immediate steps to remove and properly dispose of said feces;

J. It shall be unlawful for the owner or person having charge of an animal to tether or confine said animal in such a manner or in such a place as to cause injury or pain to an animal, or to endanger an animal, or that is injurious to the animal due to inadequate protection from heat or cold, or that is of insufficient size to permit the animal to move about freely;

K. The owner leaving an animal unattended in a motor vehicle shall:

1. Ensure the animal is restrained in a manner that prevents contact between the animal and any member of the public;

2. Ensure the animal has suitable ventilation; and

3. Not leave an animal unattended in a motor vehicle if the weather conditions are not suitable for containment of an animal;

L. The owner of an animal shall ensure dogs shall be under control at all times.

1. Except as provided in subsection (L)(2) of this section, it is unlawful for the owner or custodian of any dog to cause, permit, or allow such dog to roam, run, stray or be away from the premises of such owner or custodian and to be on any public place, any public property or the private property of another unless such dog be controlled by a leash, such control to be exercised by such owner or custodian or other competent and authorized person. This section shall not apply to dogs owned by the city or other law enforcement agencies and maintained as police K-9 units while under the custody and control of the trainer or handler;

2. Dogs may be off-leash in park areas designated for that purpose by the parks director as authorized by MMC 9.28.065;

M. It is unlawful for any person to bring into the city, or to possess or maintain within the city, any exotic animal as defined in MMC 8.04.020.

The prohibition on exotic animals shall not apply to uninterrupted transport of wild or exotic animals through the city by motor vehicle or circuses and zoos, 4-H exhibitions and educational displays staying within the city for a limited time of no more than fourteen days; provided, that proper safeguards are taken to protect the public and the animal control authority is notified of their arrival, all locations used to keep the animals, and duration of stay; and a state registered wildlife rehabilitation center sanctioned by the Washington State Wildlife Department;

N. It is unlawful to keep, harbor or maintain swine within the city limits of the city of Monroe; provided, however, it will be lawful to keep one pot-bellied pig as defined in MMC 8.04.020 within the city limits;

O. It is unlawful to keep, harbor or maintain male domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus), commonly known as rooster, within the city limits of the city of Monroe;

P. It is unlawful to keep, harbor or maintain wild or domestic turkeys (genus Meleagris) within the city of Monroe;

Q. It shall be unlawful to keep, use or maintain within the city a kennel, pet shop or grooming parlor which is unsanitary, nauseous, foul or offensive, or in any way detrimental to public health and/or safety;

R. It shall be unlawful for an employee, keeper or owner of a kennel or pet shop to knowingly sell a sick, diseased and/or injured animal. (Ord. 022/2023 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 010/2013 § 4; Ord. 012/2011 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 002/2011 § 3; Ord. 005/2009 § 3; Ord. 025/2007 § 4; Ord. 1274, 2002; Ord. 981, 1991)