HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 2024-028 An Ordinance of the City of Arlington, Washington Amending Chapter 8.10 of the Arlington Municipal Code Regarding Animal Control Major Violations ORDINANCE NO. 2024-028
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ARLINGTON, WASHINGTON AMENDING CHAPTER 8.10 OF THE
ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING ANIMAL CONTROL MAJOR VIOLATIONS
WHEREAS, the city has proposed an update to the Animal Control regulations in the City's
Municipal Code; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered the proposed amendment to the municipal code and
finds it to be consistent with city and state law and in the best interests of the citizens; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Arlington does hereby ordain as follows:
Section 1. Arlington Municipal Code section 8.10.030 shall be and hereby is amended as
follows:
8.10.030 Number of dogs permitted.
No person shall keep more than four dogs of licensing age on any premises in
the city except as described in commercial animal kennel regulations.
Section 2. Arlington Municipal Code section 8.10.050 shall be and hereby amended as
follows:
8.10.050 Noisy animals.
It is unlawful for a person to harbor or keep any animal which habitually howls,
yelps, whines, barks, or makes any other noise in such a manner that can be
heard from inside a residence or workplace. It is a violation when a police officer
confirms the noise and the owner or the person in control of the animal
immediately fails to stop the noise. Any such animal is declared to be a nuisance
and may be seized and impounded if the disturbance reoccurs after the animal's
owner has received one verbal or written warning from the police department
within a sixty-day period or three verbal or written warnings within any twelve-
month period. Whenever three or more persons living in separate residences
state in writing that any such animal is violating any provisions of this section, it
may be considered a violation of this chapter, and the police department will
forward the information to the city prosecutor for action.
ORDINANCE NO. 2024-028 1
Section 3. Arlington Municipal Code section 8.10.130 shall be and hereby amended as
follows:
8.10.130 Destruction of dangerous, injured or diseased animals.
(a) An animal control authority may humanely destroy any dangerous or
vicious animal found at large, which cannot in the judgment of the animal
control authority, be safely taken and impounded after reasonable attempts to
do so have been made. An animal suffering from serious injury or disease may be
humanely destroyed by the impounding authority; provided, that the
impounding authority shall immediately notify the owner if the owner is known,
and if the owner is unknown, make all reasonable efforts to locate and notify the
owner. The animal's owner shall be held liable for the costs of the treatment and
the destruction. If possible, before the animal's destruction, the animal control
authority shall take reasonable steps to serve the animal's owner, if known, with
notice of the destruction.
(b)The animal control authority may impound, quarantine for the proper
length of time, and then destroy expeditiously and humanely any dog once the
right to appeal has been exhausted or waived and:
(1) A previously declared dangerous dog bites a person or domestic animal; or
(2) A dog aggressively attacks and causes severe injury or death of a human,
regardless of whether there has been any previous determination of whether
such a dog is potentially dangerous or dangerous.
Section 4. Severa!?I i . Should any section, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this
ordinance, or its application to any person or circumstance, be declared unconstitutional or
otherwise invalid for any reason, or should any portion of this ordinance be pre-empted by state
or federal law or regulation, such decision or pre-emption shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this ordinance or its application to other persons or circumstances.
Section 5. Effective Date. The title of this ordinance which summarizes the contents shall be
published in the official newspaper of the City. This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force
five (5) days after the date of publication as provided by law.
ORDINANCE NO. 2024-028 2
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Arlington and APPROVED by the Mayor this 18th day of
November, 2024.
CITY OF ARLINGTON
E n Vanney, M'aXqf--�
ATTEST:
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Wendy Van Dir Meersche, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Stev n 1.�,if�f'e, Attorney
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ORDINANCE NO. 2024-028 3
CERTIFICATION OF ORDINANCE
I, Wendy Van Der Meersche, being the duly appointed City Clerk of the City of Arlington,
Washington, a municipal corporation, do hereby certify that the following Ordinance No.
2024-028 was approved at the November 18, 2024 City Council meeting.
ORDINANCE NO. 2024-028
"AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ARLINGTON,WASHINGTON AMENDING
CHAPTER 8.10 OF THE ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING ANIMAL
CONTROL MAJOR VIOLATIONS"
A true and correct copy of the original ordinance is attached.
Dated this 19th day of November, 2024
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Wendy Van Der Meersche
City Clerk for the City of Arlington