8.19.010 Enforcement—General.

(1)    The manager of the animal protection and control program and their authorized personnel are authorized to take such lawful action, including but not limited to the issuance of criminal citations and notices of civil violation, as may be required to enforce the provisions of this title and the laws of the state of Washington as they pertain to animal cruelty, shelter, welfare and control. PROVIDED, only animal control personnel who are specially deputized pursuant to Section 8.01.040 may issue criminal citations.

(2)    The manager of the program and/or their authorized personnel, while pursuing any animal observed by them to be in violation of this chapter, may enter upon private property except any private residence for the purpose of abating the animal violation being pursued. Entry into a building designated and used for private purposes may be accomplished only upon issuance of a search or arrest warrant from a court of competent jurisdiction based on a showing of probable cause, meaning that the officer is aware of credible facts that show more likely than not that a violation exists in the subject building.

(3)    No person shall deny, prevent or obstruct the manager of the program, an animal control officer or other employee appointed or contracted by the program from enforcing any provision of this title. (Sec. 1 of Res. 1981-04-108; amended by Sec. 17 of Ord. 1985-12-06; amended by Sec. 2 of Res. 2000-08-12; amended by Sec. 35 of Ord. 2016-11-13; amended by Sec. 9 of Ord. 2023-01-08)