A. 
If any animal is at large in any park, public beach, pond, fountain, or stream, or upon any public playground or school ground, or in any public building the owner or person having control or custody of the animal has violated this subsection. Any animal entering or trespassing upon such property may be seized and impounded.
B. 
This section does not apply:
1. 
To areas designated as an off-leash area by the City or by the Metropolitan Parks District;
2. 
If animals are allowed off-leash as part of a special events permit issued under TMC Chapter 11.15; or
3. 
If off-leash activity has been authorized by a public property owner on the owner’s property.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27672 Ex. A, 2007-12-11; Ord. 27854 Ex. A, 2009-12-01)
If any animal enters or trespasses upon private property without the express permission of the owner or caretaker of such property the owner or person having control or custody of the animal has violated this subsection. Any such animal may be seized and impounded.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27854 Ex. A, 2009-12-01)
Any stray dog, cat, or animal running at large within the City may be seized and impounded. For the purposes of this section, “stray dog,” “stray cat,” and “stray animal” shall mean and include any dog, cat, or animal loitering in a neighborhood or any public place without an apparent owner or home. Community cats located outside who have a caretaker are not considered “stray”.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27672 Ex. A, 2007-12-11; Ord. 29040 Ex. A, 2025-06-10)
A. 
No person may keep or harbor more than one (1) pig as indoor household pets at any residential property.
B. 
No person may keep or harbor a pig weighing in excess of 100 pounds as an indoor household pet.
C. 
No person may keep or harbor a pig that is not licensed, spayed/neutered, and microchipped by owner.
D. 
No person may keep or harbor a pig used for breeding or consumption.
E. 
No person may allow or cause any pig in that person’s ownership, possession, custody or control to enter or remain in a public place except when held or restrained securely on a leash.
F. 
No person who owns, or is possession, custody or control of a pig, shall allow or cause the pig, due to noise, odor, damage or threats to public health, to unreasonably disturb or interfere with the peace, comfort and repose of owners or possessors of real property.
(Ord. 29040 Ex. A, 2025-06-10)
Every female dog and cat in heat shall be confined in a building or secure enclosure in such a manner that such female dog or cat cannot come into contact with a male of the species, except for planned breeding. It is a violation for any person having control or custody of a dog or cat in heat to allow such animal to be unconfined. Any dog or cat not so confined when in heat, whether or not such dog or cat is licensed, may be seized and impounded, and will be subject to mandatory spaying in accordance with the process set forth in Section 17.01.110 without regard to prior impoundment.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16)
If any dog is off the premises of its owner or custodian such dog, while away from such premises, must be controlled by a leash or chain not more than eight feet in length, such control to be exercised by such owner or custodian or other competent and authorized person. Failure to control a dog in this manner is a violation. Any dog found roaming, running, straying, or being away from such premises and not on a leash as herein provided is hereby declared to be a nuisance and such dog may be seized and impounded. A “custodian” for the purposes of this subsection includes any person who consents to the dog’s presence on his or her property.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27144 § 1, 2003-09-16; Ord. 27854 Ex. A, 2009-12-01)
If any dog chases, runs after, or jumps at vehicles, including bicycles, lawfully using the public road, street, avenues, alleys, and ways the owner or person having control or custody of the animal has violated this subsection. Any such dog may be seized and impounded.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27558 § 9, 2006-12-05; Ord. 27854 Ex. A, 2009-12-01)
It is a violation of this chapter for any person to cause, or any person who owns or is control of an animal to permit, any of the following.
A. 
Confinement of any animal in a stationary motor vehicle in such a manner that places it in a life- or health-threatening situation by exposure to adverse environmental conditions. In order to protect the health and safety of such animal, an animal control officer or law enforcement officer shall have the authority to enter such motor vehicle by any reasonable and lawful means under the circumstances, if the animal is in an immediate life-threatening condition; or
B. 
Confinement of more than four animals in a stationary motor vehicle; or
C. 
Tethering an animal inside the stationary motor vehicle; or
D. 
An animal to be confined in a stationary motor vehicle without evidence of adequate care in open view of the public; or
E. 
Fails to respond within three hours after a notice is left on the stationary motor vehicle from Animal Control or Police; or
F. 
Fails to provide any animal confined in a vehicle with access to at least 30 minutes of time outside the vehicle for every four hours confined in the stationary motor vehicle.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27672 Ex. A, 2007-12-11; Ord. 29104, 2026-05-05)
If any dog chases, runs after, snarls at, growls at, jumps upon, or threatens persons upon public sidewalks, roads, streets, alleys, or public places the owner or person having control or custody of the animal has violated this subsection. Any such dog may be seized and impounded.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27672 Ex. A, 2007-12-11; Ord. 27854 Ex. A, 2009-12-01)
The owner or other person having control or custody of any animal is guilty of a misdemeanor if they have possession, custody, or control of an animal that, because of the owner’s acts or omissions, causes serious or grave injury to a domestic animal or livestock which is acting in a lawful manner. Any such animal may be seized and impounded.
Any penalties imposed under this section are in addition to any penalties or civil remedies imposed in relation to a declaration that a dog is dangerous or potentially dangerous.
(Ord. 29040 Ex. A, 2025-06-10)
The owner or other person having control or custody of any animal is guilty of a gross misdemeanor if they have possession, custody, or control of an animal that, because of the owner’s acts or omissions, cause serious or grave injury to a human which is acting in a lawful manner. Any such animal may be seized and impounded.
Any penalties imposed under this section are in addition to any penalties or civil remedies imposed in relation to a declaration that a dog is dangerous or potentially dangerous.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27672 Ex. A, 2007-12-11; Ord. 29040 Ex. A, 2025-06-10)
When an animal control officer is notified that an animal has bitten a human and the bite penetrated the skin, the animal control authority shall notify the Health Department.
(Ord. 27672 Ex. A, 2007-12-11)
It shall be unlawful for any person having control or custody of any dog to direct, encourage, cause, allow, or otherwise aid or assist any dog to threaten, charge at, bite, harass, menace, or attack any person within the City. Any such animal may be seized and impounded. Any violation of this section is a gross misdemeanor.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16)
It shall be unlawful for any person having control or custody of any dog to allow, direct, encourage, cause, or otherwise aid or assist any dog to threaten, charge, intimidate, bite, harass, menace, or attack any animal control or other public officer engaged in the conduct of their duties. Any such animal may be seized and impounded. A violation of this section is a gross misdemeanor and subject to a maximum penalty of $5,000 or 365 days in jail, or both such fine and imprisonment.
“Public officer”
means any general authority, limited authority, or specially commissioned Washington peace officer or federal peace officer, as those terms are defined in RCW 10.93.020, and other public officers who are responsible for enforcement of fire, building, zoning, and life and safety codes.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27672 Ex. A, 2007-12-11; Ord. 29040 Ex. A, 2025-06-10)
No person shall keep, maintain, control, or retain custody of any dog in conjunction with or for the purpose, whether in whole or in part, of aiding, abetting, or conducting any illegal activity or committing any crime within the City. Any such animal may be seized and impounded. Any violation of this section is a gross misdemeanor.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16)
A. 
If any animal damages or destroys any property or thing of value upon the private property of another, or upon any public property the owner or person having control or custody of the animal has violated this subsection. Any such animal may be seized and impounded. Any violation of this section is an infraction up to damage in the total amount is $750 or less. Damage in the total amount greater than $750 shall be a misdemeanor.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27854 Ex. A, 2009-12-01)
A. 
It is a violation for any person to fail to immediately remove fecal matter deposited by a dog or other animal in his or her possession on public property such as park property, school grounds, public rights-of-way, or public easements or on private property that does not belong to the animal’s owner or custodian.
B. 
This section shall not apply to a “guide” or “service” dog, as now or hereafter defined in RCW 70.84, while the dog is in harness.
(Ord. 27672 Ex. A, 2007-12-11)
A. 
Any animal which by its barking, howling, baying, squealing, crowing, crying, bleating, screeching, whining, or making any other noise, by its volume or frequency, unreasonably disturbs or interferes with the peace of three or more persons, each residing at separate residences in the same community or neighborhood for more than 15 minutes in any one-hour period of any day, and is documented by three or more separate episodes of such noise in a sequential seven-day period. The burden is upon the owner of such animal(s) to maintain quiet.
B. 
Exceptions to this subsection are poultry kept in accordance with TMC § 5.30.010, commercial pet facilities, animal welfare facilities, veterinary hospitals, or grooming parlors otherwise in compliance with the Tacoma Municipal Code, or those who can substantiate that such animal noise was caused by an injury or illness of the animal(s) or by willful trespass, torment, or abuse of the animal(s) on its property by others.
C. 
Enforcement may be undertaken only upon written receipt of a complaint made to either the animal control authority or law enforcement by three or more persons affected by such public noise disturbance as described in subsection A. Any such animal(s) shall be deemed a nuisance and may be seized and impounded if the disturbance reoccurs after the owner or custodian of such animal(s) has received two written warnings, two notices of civil infraction, or a written warning and a notice of civil infraction from either the animal control authority or law enforcement within a calendar year.
D. 
Animal noise violations under this chapter are a Class 1 civil infraction.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27558 § 10, 2006-12-05; Ord. 27854 Ex. A, 2009-12-01; Ord. 28922 Subst. Ex. A, 2023-12-05; ratified and recertified by Ord. 28943, 2024-01-16)
It is unlawful to sell, barter, or otherwise transfer for the purpose of changing ownership any dog or cat in an area open to the public unless such activity is licensed pursuant to Title 6 of this Code, and shall be enforced under the provisions of said Title 6.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16)
A. 
Except as provided in subsection B. of this section, it shall be unlawful for any person to perform a procedure that results in the partial or complete declawing (partial digital amputation) of a cat in the City of Tacoma.
B. 
Notwithstanding the restrictions set forth in subsection A. of this section, a person may perform a procedure to declaw a cat only if:
1. 
The person performing the procedure is a licensed veterinarian; and
2. 
The procedure has a therapeutic purpose.
C. 
As used in this section:
“Declaw”
means to surgically remove or alter the claw or claws of a cat by a surgical procedure such as onychectomy or tendonectomy, in order to prevent the normal functioning of a cat’s paws or toes. Tendonectomy is a surgical procedure where tendons to the cat’s toes are severed in order to prevent their normal function. Declawing does not include the trimming of a nonviable claw husk or placing nonpermanent nail caps.
“Therapeutic purpose”
means a medically necessary procedure to address an existing or recurring infection, disease, injury, or abnormal condition in the claws, nail bed, or toe bone, that jeopardizes the cat’s health. “Therapeutic purpose” does not include a procedure performed for a cosmetic or aesthetic purpose or to make the cat more convenient to keep or handle.
(Ord. 28923 Ex. A, 2023-12-05)
Unless specifically designated in this chapter as a gross misdemeanor or misdemeanor or is specified to be enforced pursuant to other law including, but not limited to, other chapters or titles of this Code, any violation of this chapter is a violation and shall constitute a Class 1 infraction, not to exceed $250, not including statutory assessments.
Such penalty is in addition to any other remedies or penalties specifically provided by law. For each act herein prohibited of a continuing nature, each day shall be considered a separate offense.
(Ord. 26949 § 6, 2002-07-16; Ord. 27558 § 11, 2006-12-05)