Restrictions on breed-specific ordinances take effect

HB 1026, regarding dog breed-specific ordinances, went into effect on January 1.

The law restricts Washington cities and towns from:

• Prohibiting the possession of a dog based on its breed;
• Enacting breed-specific ownership requirements; or
• Declaring a dog dangerous or potentially dangerous based solely upon its breed.

Cities and towns may enact breed-specific ordinances only if jurisdictions establish a reasonable process for exempting any dog from the ordinance. The purpose of the legislation is to encourage local jurisdictions to enhance public safety by focusing on a dog’s behavior rather than a dog’s breed.

An acceptable exception process may be the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Test or a reasonably equivalent canine behavioral test as determined by the city, and must include the following conditions:

• Dogs that pass the test must be exempt from breed-based restrictions for at least two years.
• Dogs that pass the test must be allowed to retest to maintain their exemption.
• Dogs that fail to pass the test must be allowed to retest within a reasonable period of time.

This legislation excludes undomesticated animals and any related hybrids such as wolves, coyotes, wolf-dog hybrids, and coyote-dog hybrids.