Title 16, ANIMALS AND LIVESTOCK

A city or county may adopt an ordinance governing potentially dangerous wild animals that is more restrictive than this chapter. However, nothing in this chapter requires a city or county to adopt an ordinance to be in compliance with this chapter. [ 2007 c 238 s 6.]

A person who violates RCW 16.30.030 is liable for a civil penalty of not less than two hundred dollars and not more than two thousand dollars for each animal with respect to which there is a violation and for each day the violation continues. [ 2007 c 238 s 7.]

(1) The animal control authority and its staff and agents, local law enforcement agents, and county sheriffs are authorized and empowered to enforce the provisions of this chapter. (2) If a locality does not have a local animal control authority, the department of fish and wildli…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Animal" means all members of the animal kingdom except humans, fish, and insects. However, "animal" does not mean noncaptive wildlife as defined in RCW 77.08.010, exc…

(1) The director shall supervise the prevention of the spread and the suppression of infectious, contagious, communicable, and dangerous diseases affecting animals within, in transit through, and imported into the state. (2) The director may issue a quarantine order and enforce t…

(1) The director shall enforce and administer the provisions of this chapter pertaining to garbage feeding. (2) The director has the authority to regulate the sale, distribution, and use of veterinary biologics in the state and may adopt rules to restrict the sale, distribution, …

(1) The director may adopt rules establishing fees for: (a) The establishment and inspection of animal holding facilities authorized under this chapter; (b) The inspection and monitoring of animals in authorized animal holding facilities; and (c) Special inspections of animals or…

(1) The director may collect moneys to recover the reasonable costs of purchasing, printing, and distributing official individual identification devices or methods, regulatory forms, and other supplies. (2) In addition to the costs identified in subsection (1) of this section, th…

(1) The director may adopt and enforce rules necessary to carry out the purpose and provisions of this chapter, and including: (a) Preventing the introduction or spreading of infectious, contagious, communicable, or dangerous diseases affecting animals in this state; (b) Governin…

The director may establish points of inspection for vehicles transporting animals on the public roads of this state to determine if the animals being transported are accompanied by valid health certificates, permits, or other documents as required by this chapter or its rules. Ve…

(1) It is unlawful for a person to bring an animal into Washington state without first securing a certificate of veterinary inspection, reviewed by the state veterinarian of the state of origin, verifying that the animal meets the Washington state animal health requirements. This…

(1) The director has the authority to enter a property at any reasonable time to: (a) Conduct tests, examinations, or inspections to take samples, and to examine and copy records when there is reasonable cause to investigate whether animals on the property or that have been on th…

When any local governing body notifies the director of the presence or probable danger of infection from any animal diseases, the director, state veterinarian, or a deputized state veterinarian shall respond immediately and take appropriate action. In case of an emergency, the di…

(1) Any person licensed to practice veterinary medicine, surgery, and dentistry in this state, veterinary laboratories, and others designated by this chapter shall immediately report in writing or by telephone, facsimile, or electronic mail to the director the existence or suspec…

(1) It is unlawful for any person to sell, exchange, or give away any animal that he or she knows: (a) Is infected with any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease; (b) Has been exposed to any contagious, communicable, or infectious disease within the previous thirty days…

Any person owning or having in his or her control any livestock which become infected with scrapie or another transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) or which have been exposed to such disease, shall immediately report the disease or exposure to the director. It is unlawful…

When any livestock affected with any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease mingle with any healthy livestock belonging to another person, through the fault or negligence of the owner of the diseased livestock or his or her agent, the owner is liable for all damages sust…

When public welfare demands, the director may order the slaughter or destruction of any animal affected with or exposed to any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease that is affecting or may affect the health of the state's animal population. The director may order destr…

In ordering the slaughter or destruction of any animal, the director may pay an indemnity in an amount not to exceed seventy-five percent of the appraised or salvage value of the animal ordered slaughtered or destroyed. The actual indemnity amount shall be established by the dire…

Any person whose animal or animal reproductive products are placed under a quarantine, a hold order, or destruct order under RCW 16.36.090 may request a hearing. The request for a hearing must be in writing and filed with the director. Any hearing will be held in conformance with…

The director is authorized to cooperate with and enter into agreements with governmental agencies of this state, other states, and agencies of federal government in order to carry out the purpose and provisions of this chapter and to promote consistency of regulation. [ 1998 c 8 …

Every person owning or having in charge any livestock that has died because of disease shall dispose of the carcass within a time frame and in a manner prescribed in rule by the director, which may include, but is not limited to, burial, composting, incinerating, landfilling, nat…

No person shall feed garbage to swine without first obtaining a license from the director. The license expires on June 30th of each year. Application for a license shall be accompanied by a fee of ten dollars which shall be credited to the general fund. The license is nontransfer…

(1) Any person who violates any provision of this chapter or the rules adopted under this chapter shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor. Each day upon which a violation occurs constitutes a separate violation. (2) The director may bring an action to enjoin the violation of any p…

(1) Any person in violation of this chapter or its rules may be subject to a civil penalty in an amount of not more than one thousand dollars for each violation. Each violation is a separate and distinct offense. Every person who, through an act of commission or omission, procure…

(1) Any person found transporting animals on the public roads of this state that are not accompanied by valid health certificates, permits, or other documents as required by this chapter or its rules has committed a class 1 civil infraction. (2) Any person who knowingly transport…

Certain animals defined in this chapter as livestock or animal may also meet the definition of wildlife contained in Title 77 RCW. This chapter does not allow importation, possession, or uses of animals that are in violation of Title 77 RCW or the rules adopted under that title, …

(1) It is unlawful for a person to bring an animal into Washington state without first securing a certificate of veterinary inspection, reviewed by the state veterinarian of the state of origin, verifying that the animal meets Washington state animal health requirements. This sub…

(1) The director shall adopt by rule a fee per head on cattle sold or slaughtered in the state or transported out of the state to administer animal disease traceability activities for cattle. The fee must be paid by: (a) Sellers of cattle sold in the state, without exception; (b)…

By December 1st of each year, the department shall submit an activity report and financial statement on the implementation of the animal disease traceability activities to the animal disease traceability advisory committee created in *section 5 of this act. [ 2011 c 204 s 3.] Not…

The production of livestock is one of the largest industries in this state; and whereas livestock disease constitutes a constant threat to the public health and the production of livestock in this state; and whereas the prevention and control of such livestock diseases by the sta…

The director of agriculture is hereby authorized to carry on a diagnostic service program for the purpose of diagnosing any livestock disease which affects or may affect any livestock which is or may be produced in this state or otherwise handled in any manner for public distribu…

In carrying out such diagnostic service program the director of agriculture may employ, subject to the state civil service act, chapter 41.06 RCW, the necessary personnel to properly effectuate such diagnostic service program. [ 1969 c 100 s 3.]

In carrying out such diagnostic service program the director of agriculture may enter into agreements and/or contracts with any other governmental agencies whether state or federal or public institution such as Washington State University or private institutions and/or research o…

In carrying out such diagnostic service program, the director of agriculture may accept public or private funds, gifts or equipment or any other necessary properties. [ 1969 c 100 s 5.]

The director may, following a public hearing, establish a schedule of fees for services performed in carrying out such diagnostic service program. All fees collected under this provision shall be retained by the director of agriculture to be spent only for carrying out the purpos…

This chapter is intended to safeguard the household user of uninspected and inspected meat products from possible harm due to adulterated, misbranded, or unfit meat or meat products or meat or meat products that have been prepared under insanitary conditions. [ 2000 c 99 s 1.]

(1) This chapter does not apply to the slaughter and preparation of one thousand or fewer pastured chickens in a calendar year by the agricultural producer of the chickens for the sale of whole raw chickens by the producer directly to the ultimate consumer at the producer's farm.…

For the purposes of this chapter: (1) "Department" means the department of agriculture of the state of Washington. (2) "Director" means the director of the department or the director's designee. (3) "Custom farm slaughterer" means a person licensed to slaughter meat food animals …

The director shall enforce and carry out the provisions of this chapter and adopt rules necessary to carry out its purpose. The rules may include, but are not limited to: (1) Requirements for construction, equipment, cleaning, sanitation, and sanitary practices to ensure sanitary…

(1) It is unlawful for any person to operate as a custom farm slaughterer or to operate a custom slaughtering establishment or custom meat facility in the state without first obtaining a license from the director. Custom farm slaughterers must obtain a separate license for each m…

To determine compliance with this chapter and the rules adopted under this chapter, the director may inspect the mobile unit of any custom farm slaughterer and the premises of any custom slaughtering establishment or custom meat facility at any reasonable time. [ 2000 c 99 s 5; 1…

Inspected and uninspected meat may only be prepared by a custom meat facility under the following conditions: (1) Inspected meat and meat products prepared from inspected meat must be kept separated from uninspected meat and meat products prepared from uninspected meat to prevent…

A licensed custom farm slaughterer may transport the offal of a meat food animal he or she has slaughtered for the owner, when it is transported as part of a slaughtering transaction and the offal is handled in a sanitary manner. [ 2000 c 99 s 7; 1967 ex.s. c 120 s 4. Formerly RC…

It is unlawful for any person to: (1) Sell, trade, or give away uninspected meat or meat products; or (2) Interfere with the director in the performance of his or her duties under this chapter or the rules adopted under this chapter. [ 2000 c 99 s 8; 1987 c 77 s 9. Formerly RCW 1…

The director may investigate any violation or possible violation of this chapter or any rule adopted under this chapter. To assist in such investigation, the director may issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses or to compel production of records or documents anywher…