The following was keyed by Sharon Bowman of Washington State. WARNING LONG POST FOLLOWS: City of Renton, Washington An Ordinance of the City of Renton, Washington, Amending Chapter 6, Animals and Fowls at Large, of Title VI (POLICE REGULATIONS), of Ordinance No. 4260 Entitled "CODE OF GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON" BY ADDING NEW SECTIONS RELATING TO WILD, EXOTIC OR VICIOUS ANIMALS. The City Council of the City of Renton, Washington, Do ordain as follows: SECTION I. Chapter 6, Animals and Fowls at large, of Title VI (Police Regulations), of Ordinance No 4260 entitled "Code of General Ordinance of the City of Washington" is hereby renamed to read as follows: Chapter 6: POSSESSION AND CONTROL OF ANIMALS. SECTION II. Section 6-6-4 of Chapter 6, Possession and Control of Animals, of Title VI (Police Regulations), of Ordinance No 4260 entitled "Code of General Ordinance of the City of Renton, Washington" is hereby amended to read as follows: 6-6-4: DEFINITIONS: For the purpose of this Chapter the following definitions shall be controlling. A. ANIMAL: Any living vertebrate creature, domestic or wild, not to include birds. B. ANIMAL CONTROL AUTHORITY: An entity acting alone or in concert with other local governmental units for enforcement of the animal control laws of the City, County and State, and the shelter and welfare of animals. C. ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER: Any individual employed, contracted with, or appointed by the City for the purpose of aiding in the enforcement of this Chapter or any other law or ordinance relating to the licensure of animals, or seizure and impoundment of animals, and includes any State or local law enforcement officer or other employee whose duties in whole or in part include assignments that involve the seizure and impoundment of any animal. D. DANGEROUS DOG: Any dog that, according to the records of appropiate authority: (a) has inflicted severe injury on a human being without provcation on public or private property, (b) has killed a domestic animal without provocation while off the owner's property, or (c) has been previously found to be potentially dangerous, the owner having received notice of such and the dog again aggressively bites, attacks, or endangers the safety of humans or domestic animals. E. OWNER: Any person, firm, corporation, organization, or department possessing, harboring, keeping, having an interest in, or having control or custody of an animal. F. PET: Pet shall mean any animal kept for pleasure rather than utility. G. POTENTIAL DANEROUS DOG: Any dog that when unprovoked: (a) inflicts bites on a human or a domestic animal either on public or private proterty, or (b) chases or approaches a person upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public grounds in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, or any dog with a known propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack unprovoked, to cause injury, or to cause injury or otherwise to threaten the safety of humans or domestic animals. H. PROPER ENCLOSURE OF A DANGEROUS DOG: While on the owner's property, a dangerous dog shall be securely confined indoors or in a securely enclosed and locked pen or structure, suitable to prevent the entry of young childern and designed to prevent the animal from escaping. Such pen or structure shall have secure sides and a secure top, and shall also provide protection from the elements for the dog. I. SEVERE INJURY: Any physical injury that results in broken bones or disfiguring lacerations requiring multiple structures or cosmetic surgery. J. VICIOUS ANIMAL: Any animal or animals that constitude a physical threat to human beings or other animals not to include guard dogs. K. WILD OR EXOTIC ANIMAL: Any animal of a species or hybird thereof that in its natural life is wild including but not limied to: (1) Alligators and crocodiles (2) Bears (ursidae). All bears including grizzly bears, brown bears, black bears, etc. (3) Cat Family (felidae). All except the commonly accepted domesticated cats, and including cheetah, cougars, leopards, lions, lynx, panthers, mountain lions, tigers, wildcats, etc. (4) Dog Family (canidae). All except domesticated dogs, and including wolf, fox, coyote, dingo, etc. (5) Porcupine (erethizontidae). (6) Primates (hominif=ddae). All subhuman primates. (7) Raccoon (prosynnidae). All raccoons including eastern raccoons, desert raccoons, ring-tail cat, etc. (8) Skunks (9) Venomous fish and piranha. (10) Snakes or lizards not native to Western Washington. (11) Weasels (mustelidae). All including weasels, martins, wolverines, ferrets, badgers, otters, ermine, mink, mongoose, etc., except that raising members of this family as a business for their pelts shall not be prohibited by this ordinance. SECTION III. Chapter 6, Possession and Control of Animals, of Title VI (Police Regulations), of Ordinance No 4260 entitled "Code of General Ordinance of the City of Renton, Washington" is hereby amended by adding the following sections to read as follows: 6-6-12: DISPLAY OR EXHIBITION OF WILD, EXOTIC OR VICIOUS ANIMALS: No persons shall keep or permit to be kept on his premises any wild, exotic or vicious animal for display or for exhibition purposes, whether gratuitously or for a fee. This section shall not be construed to apply to schools, zoological parks, performing animal exhibitions, circuses, or veterinary clinics which are properly licensed by the Federal Government or the State of Washington. In no case, however, shall such wild or exotic animals be exhibited or displayed in such a manner that persons other than their handlers can pet, fondle, or otherwise come in direct physical contact with such animals. 6-6-13: KEEPING WILD, EXOTIC OR VICIOUS ANIMALS AS A PET. No person shall keep or permit to be kept any wild, exotic or vicious animals as a pet. 6-6-14: NOTICE REQUIRED AT PLACE OF SALE OF A WILD OR EXOTIC ANIMALS: Any person who offers for sale a wild or exotic animal as defined in this Chapter shall post conspicusously at the place of sale or just by the following notice: "No person may lawfully keep or permit to be kept in the City of Renton any alligators or crocodiles, bears, any member of the cat family except for domesticated cats, any member of the dog family except for domesticated dogs, porcupine, primate, raccoon, skunk, vicious fish or piranha, snakes or lizards not native to Western Washington, weasels, martins, wolverines, ferrets, badgers, otters, ermine, mink, mongoose or other animal which can normally be found in their natural life as a wild animal." ALTERNATE SECTION: SALE OF WILD, EXOTIC OR VICIOUS ANIMALS PROHIBITED: It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, offer for sale, barter, give away, keep, or purchase any wild, exotic or vicious animal as difined in this chapter except for an animal shelter, zoological park, veterinary hospital, humane society shelter, public laboratory, circus, or facility for education or scientific purposes which may keep an animal from escaping or injuring the public are provided. It shall also be unlawful for any person to keep an animal of a species prohibited or protected by Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations or by any regulation or law of the State of Washington. SECTION IV. This Ordinance shall be effective upon its passage, approval, and thiry days after publication. [end of rough draft, proposed ordinance] [Posted in FML issue 0249]