It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any horses, asses, mules, cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, hogs, boars, sows, gilts, barrows, shoats, and piglets within the city limits of the City of Tacoma; provided that this chapter shall not apply in areas in which slaughterhouses or stockyards are permitted by appropriate ordinances of the City of Tacoma; provided, further, that upon full compliance with the provisions of Section 5.23.020 of this chapter, the keeping of any such animal or animals may be permitted when the conditions of said Section are and continue to be complied with in all respects.
(Ord. 15852 § 1, 1957-04-22; Ord. 29040 Ex. A, 2025-06-10)
The keeping of any such animals referred to in Section 5.23.010 of this chapter is permitted upon the following conditions:
A. 
This chapter is not intended to prohibit the keeping of such animals hereinabove designated, where and so long as a consent in writing to the keeping of the same has been secured by the owner of the premises from all of the residences, dwellings, hotels, apartment houses and rooming houses and from any other person occupying and controlling premises within a distance of 50 feet from the property line of the property upon which any such animals are to be kept, and such written consent filed with the City Clerk. Such written consent so obtained may be revoked at any time by the signer thereof or his successor in interest by serving a written revocation of such consent upon the keeper of such animals and filing a copy thereof with proof of service upon such owner, with the City Clerk, and thereupon the prohibitive provisions of this chapter shall again apply and become effective upon the owner of such animal kept in violation of these provisions.
In the case of the keeping of any such animals above designated as prohibited herein, at the time of the effective date of this chapter, such written consent for such keeping as hereinabove provided shall be filed within 30 days after the effective date.
B. 
The premises upon which such animals are kept shall have a total area of not less than 20,000 square feet and the premises upon which said animal or animals are housed and permitted to roam, shall be located not less than 50 feet from the adjoining property lines.
C. 
All buildings or structures housing such animals shall comply with the City of Tacoma Building Code and be of rodent-proof construction, and no condition shall be allowed to exist on the premises that provides rodent harborage.
D. 
Floors shall be constructed of tight, easily cleanable material. Walls and ceilings shall be of such construction as to be easily maintained in a sanitary condition.
E. 
Roaming area shall be graded and drained and so maintained that there are no standing pools of water or accumulation of organic wastes.
F. 
Feed, with the exception of hay, that is maintained on the premises must be stored in rodent-proof containers.
G. 
Feeding troughs or bins shall be used and of such construction as to be readily cleanable and no feed shall be scattered on the ground or floor.
H. 
All unconsumed food of a perishable type must be collected after each feeding and placed in fly and water-tight containers pending final disposal.
I. 
Manure and other organic wastes must be collected daily and stored in a water-tight and flyproof pit or chamber and shall be removed at intervals sufficiently frequent to prevent odor problems from developing. Manure must be disposed of by burial or in some other manner which will not cause an odor or fly problem.
J. 
Fly control measures must be practiced that will assure freedom of flies from the premises.
K. 
No condition shall be allowed to develop or continue on any premises which creates objectionable odors or noises or is unsightly.
The failure of the owner or occupant of the premises herein referred to, to maintain at all times the conditions herein prescribed, shall constitute a violation of this chapter.
(Ord. 15852 § 2, 1957-04-22)
A. 
No person shall have, keep, or maintain, or have in his possession or under his control, within any area of the City of Tacoma which is zoned residential any lion, tiger, bear, chimpanzee, gorilla, cougar, mountain lion, badger, wolf, coyote, fox, lynx, or any venomous reptile, or any other dangerous wild animal or reptile; provided, however, that in those areas zoned other than residential such animals may be permitted on the condition that a permit is obtained from the City Manager or his duly authorized representative. Such permit shall only be granted upon a showing by the applicant that adequate safeguards have been instituted and will be maintained which will effectively control the dangerous or vicious propensities of such animal or reptile, eliminating any danger to individuals or property, and provided that the keeping or maintaining of any such animal will in no way constitute a nuisance to the occupants of any surrounding property.
B. 
"Dangerous wild animal or reptile" means any animal or reptile not commonly domesticated which, because of its size, vicious nature, or other similar characteristic, would constitute a danger to human life or property.
(Ord. 17215, 1962-11-27; Ord. 25920 § 1, 1996-06-18)
No person owning or having charge, custody, control, or possession of any animal specified in Section 5.23.025 shall permit or allow the same to run at large upon any highway, street, lane, alley, court, or any other place, public or private, or within the premises of such person, in such manner as to endanger any person lawfully entering such premises.
(Ord. 17215, 1962-11-27)
Section 5.23.025 shall not apply to any person keeping or maintaining or having in his possession or under his control any animal defined in that Section when such person is transporting such animal or reptile through the City of Tacoma, provided he has taken adequate safeguards to protect the public, and has notified the Chief of Police of his proposed route of transportation and of the time that such trip is to take place; nor shall Section 5.23.025 apply to any person who has custody of such animals or reptiles in connection with the operation of any zoo or circus or in connection with any program of medical or scientific research, provided such person has taken adequate measures to safeguard persons and property.
(Ord. 17215, 1962-11-27)
Any person, firm, corporation or other legal entity found to have violated any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000.00 or by imprisonment not exceeding 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Upon a first conviction, there shall be imposed a fine of not less than $100.00 and, upon a second conviction, there shall be imposed a fine of not less than $500.00 and, upon a third or subsequent conviction, there shall be imposed a fine of not less than $1,000.00 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Upon a conviction, and pursuant to a prosecution motion, the court shall also order immediate action by the person, firm, corporation, or other legal entity to correct the condition constituting the violation and to maintain the corrected condition in compliance with this chapter. The mandated minimum fines shall include statutory costs and assessments.
(Ord. 15852 § 3, 1957-04-22; Ord. 19697 § 1, 1972-11-14; Ord. 23600 § 5, 1986-04-29; Ord. 25557 § 7, 1994-08-23)