Kitsap Humane Society : Dedicated to Respecting All Animal Life

FAQ

Q: Do you work for the County?

A: No, we are actually employed by the Humane Society; Kitsap County and local Municipalities contract for animal control services.

Q: Does my dog have to have the license on the collar?

A: Although unlawful not to have your pet licensed it is not required to be on the collar; however it is strongly advised. A rabies tag is not a pet license

Q: Can I shoot a dog that’s on my property?

A: Only in cases of self defense. Check with your local Sheriff or Police department for the discharging of a firearm.

Q: I got a tag from my veterinarian, isn’t that the pet’s license?

A: No, that is your pet’s rabies tag; a license should be obtained at the Humane Society, or any County or City

building of the auditors office.

What is an Animal Control/Humane Officer?

RCW 16.52.011 (definitions)

(c) "Animal control officer" means any individual employed, contracted, or appointed pursuant to RCW 16.52.025 by an animal care and control agency or humane society to aid in the enforcement of ordinances or laws regulating the care and control of animals. For purposes of this chapter, the term "animal control officer" shall be interpreted to include "humane officer" as defined in (e) of this subsection and RCW 16.52.025.

(e) "Humane officer" means any individual employed, contracted, or appointed by an animal care and control agency or humane society as authorized under RCW 16.52.025.

Kitsap County Code 7.04.030 - Animal control authority

(b) Employees of the animal control authority over the age of twenty-one, who are commissioned as Washington Humane Officers by the Superior Court, may be commissioned as special deputies by the county sheriff. When so commissioned, the officer shall thereby be charged with the enforcement of all ordinances, statutes and regulations relating to the care, treatment, control, impoundment, and licensing of animals. Such commissions may be issued and revoked in the discretion of the sheriff.

Bremerton Municipal Code 7.04.030 – Animal control authority

(b) Employees of the animal control authority over the age of twenty-one (21), who are commissioned as Washington Humane Officers by the Superior Court, may be commissioned as special officers by the Police Chief. When so commissioned, the officer shall thereby be charged with the enforcement of all ordinances, statutes and regulations relating to the care, treatment, control, impoundment, and licensing of animals. Such commissions may be issued and revoked in the discretion of the Police Chief. (Ord. 4949 § 1 (part), 2005: Ord. 4807, Repealed & Replaced, 06/28/2002)

Bainbridge Island Municipal Code 6.12.030 – Employees to be special police.

Each employee of the animal control authority over the age of 21 years, except clerks and stenographers, is made a special police officer or marshal of the city, and is charged with the duty of enforcing all city ordinances relating to the control, care, treatment and impounding of animals, but without pay from the city; provided, that the employees shall be first sworn in and provided with a suitable badge of authority furnished by the city, to be withdrawn from the officer at any time by a vote of the majority of the city council present at any meeting of the council. (Ord. 91-41 § 4, 1991)

Port Orchard Municipal Code 7.08.030 - Animal control authority employees to be special police.

Each employee of the animal control authority over the age of 21 years may be made a special police officer and charged with the duty of enforcing animal control ordinances of the city and statutes of the state as prescribed in POMC 7.08.020, but without pay from the city treasury. A special police commission shall be issued to such employees by, and at the discretion of the chief of police of the city, and may be revoked at will by the chief of police, and when so revoked such appointment shall cease and be null and void. (Ord. 1750 § 5, 1999).

Poulsbo Municipal Code 6.04.040 – Special Police Officer

Each employee of such poundmaster over the age of twenty-one years, except clerks and stenographers, is made a special police officer and charged with the duty of enforcing all ordinances of the city of Poulsbo relating to the control, care, treatment and impounding of animals, but without pay from the city treasury; provided, the employees are first sworn in and provided with a suitable badge of authority, to be withdrawn from the officer at any time by a vote of the majority of the city council present at any meeting of the council. (Ord. 83-34 § 4, 1983)

What is Animal Cruelty?

RCW 16.52.205 – Animal cruelty in the first degree. (Class C Felony)

      (1) A person is guilty of animal cruelty in the first degree when, except as authorized in law, he or she intentionally (a) inflicts substantial pain on, (b) causes physical injury to, or (c) kills an animal by a means causing undue suffering, or forces a minor to inflict unnecessary pain, injury, or death on an animal.
     (2) A person is guilty of animal cruelty in the first degree when, except as authorized by law, he or she, with criminal negligence, starves, dehydrates, or suffocates an animal and as a result causes: (a) Substantial and unjustifiable physical pain that extends for a period sufficient to cause considerable suffering; or (b) death.
     (3) A person is guilty of animal cruelty in the first degree when he or she:
            (a) Knowingly engages in any sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal;
            (b) Knowingly causes, aids, or abets another person to engage in any sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal;
            (c) Knowingly permits any sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal to be conducted on any premises under his or her charge or control;
            (d) Knowingly engages in, organizes, promotes, conducts, advertises, aids, abets, participates in as an observer, or performs any service in the furtherance of an act involving any sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal for a commercial or recreational purpose; or
            (e) Knowingly photographs or films, for purposes of sexual gratification, a person engaged in a sexual act or sexual contact with an animal.
     (4) Animal cruelty in the first degree is a class C felony.
     (5) In addition to the penalty imposed in subsection (4) of this section, the court may order that the convicted person do any of the following:
            (a) Not harbor or own animals or reside in any household where animals are present;
            (b) Participate in appropriate counseling at the defendant's expense;
            (c) Reimburse the animal shelter or humane society for any reasonable costs incurred for the care and maintenance of any animals taken to the animal shelter or humane society as a result of conduct proscribed in subsection (3) of this section.
     (6) Nothing in this section may be considered to prohibit accepted animal husbandry practices or accepted veterinary medical practices by a licensed veterinarian or certified veterinary technician.
     (7) If the court has reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of this section has occurred, the court may order the seizure of all animals involved in the alleged violation as a condition of bond of a person charged with a violation.
     (8) For purposes of this section:
            (a) "Animal" means every creature, either alive or dead, other than a human being.
            (b) "Sexual conduct" means any touching or fondling by a person, either directly or through clothing, of the sex organs or anus of an animal or any transfer or transmission of semen by the person upon any part of the animal, for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal of the person.
            (c) "Sexual contact" means any contact, however slight, between the mouth, sex organ, or anus of a person and the sex organ or anus of an animal, or any intrusion, however slight, of any part of the body of the person into the sex organ or anus of an animal, or any intrusion of the sex organ or anus of the person into the mouth of the animal, for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal of the person.
            (d) "Photographs" or "films" means the making of a photograph, motion picture film, videotape, digital image, or any other recording, sale, or transmission of the image.

RCW 16.52.207 – Animal cruelty in the second degree. (Misdemeanor)

    (1) A person is guilty of animal cruelty in the second degree if, under circumstances not amounting to first degree animal cruelty, the person knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence inflicts unnecessary suffering or pain upon an animal.
     (2) An owner of an animal is guilty of animal cruelty in the second degree if, under circumstances not amounting to first degree animal cruelty, the owner knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence:
            (a) Fails to provide the animal with necessary shelter, rest, sanitation, space, or medical attention and the animal suffers unnecessary or unjustifiable physical pain as a result of the failure; or
            (b) Abandons the animal.
     (3) Animal cruelty in the second degree is a misdemeanor.
     (4) In any prosecution of animal cruelty in the second degree, it shall be an affirmative defense, if established by the defendant by a preponderance of the evidence, that the defendant's failure was due to economic distress beyond the defendant's control.