Washington State RCW for Animal Abuse
WASHINGTON STATUTES
TITLE 16. ANIMALS, ESTRAYS, BRANDS AND FENCES
CHAPTER 16.52. PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
16.52.011.Definitions--Principles of liability
(1) Principles of liability as defined in chapter 9A.08 RCW apply to
this chapter.
(2) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
(a) "Animal" means any nonhuman mammal, bird, reptile, or amphibian.
(b) "Animal care and control agency" means any city or county animal control agency or authority authorized to enforce city or county municipal ordinances regulating the care, control, licensing, or treatment of animals within the city or county, and any corporation organized under RCW 16.52.020 that contracts with a city or county to enforce the city or county ordinances governing animal care and control.
(c) "Animal control officer" means any individual employed, contracted, or appointed pursuant to RCW 16.52.025 by an animal care and control agency or humane society to aid in the enforcement of ordinances or laws regulating the care and control of animals. For purposes of this chapter, the term "animal control officer" shall be interpreted to include "humane officer" as defined in (e) of this subsection and RCW 16.52.025.
(d) "Euthanasia" means the humane destruction of an animal accomplished by a method that involves instantaneous unconsciousness and immediate death, or by a method that causes painless loss of consciousness, and death during the loss of consciousness.
(e) "Humane officer" means any individual employed, contracted, or appointed by an animal care and control agency or humane society as authorized under RCW 16.52.025.
(f) "Law enforcement agency" means a general authority Washington law enforcement agency as defined in RCW 10.93.020.
(g) "Necessary food" means the provision at suitable intervals of wholesome foodstuff suitable for the animal's age and species and sufficient to provide a reasonable level of nutrition for the animal.
(h) "Owner" means a person who has a right, claim, title, legal share, or right of possession to an animal or a person having lawful control, custody, or possession of an animal.
(i) "Person" means individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, or other legal entities, and agents of those entities.
(j) "Substantial bodily harm" means substantial bodily harm as defined in RCW 9A.04.110.
16.52015 Enforcement--Law enforcement agencies and animal care and control
agencies
(1) Law enforcement agencies and animal care and control agencies may
enforce the provisions of this chapter. Animal care and control agencies
may enforce the provisions of this chapter in a county or city only if
the county or city legislative authority has entered into a contract
with the agency to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
(2) Animal control officers enforcing this chapter shall comply with the same constitutional and statutory restrictions concerning the execution of police powers imposed on law enforcement officers who enforce this chapter and other criminal laws of the state of Washington.
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