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AGENDA
Public Safety Committee Regular Meeting
4:00 PM - Monday, June 26, 2017
Council Conference Room, 7th Floor, City Hall – 1055 S. Grady Way
1. Animal License Fees
a) AB - 1933 Police Department recommends adopting an ordinance amending the Renton
Municipal Code related to animal control and related fees.
2. Emerging Issues in Public Safety
AB - 1933
City Council Regular Meeting - 19 Jun 2017
SUBJECT/TITLE: Amending Renton Municipal Codes related to animal license fees,
updating animal license fee language, and impound language.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Refer to Public Safety Committee
DEPARTMENT: Police
STAFF CONTACT: Chad Karlewicz, Commander
EXT.: 7640
FISCAL IMPACT SUMMARY:
Changes will provide for the recovery charges incurred when the City impounds animals.
SUMMARY OF ACTION:
The City uses a private veterinary clinic to hold and care for animals impounded by the City's Animal Control
Officers. The existing code does not provide a mechanism for the City to recover its costs for such impounds.
The proposed ordinance requires payment of the City's third party costs as a condition of an owner redeeming
his/her animal. The proposed ordinance also:
• Removes reference to licenses being issued annually and defers to the City's Fee Schedule Brochure
with regard to the term of licenses so the City will have flexibility in changing the term of licenses in the
future;
• Updates outdated references to state law, including fee exemptions for dog guides (rather than seeing
eye dogs);
• Clarifies the qualifications for a low-income special lifetime license to align with the City's criteria for
discounting utilities;
• Clarifies the circumstances in which an animal may be impounded and procedures for such impounds;
• Requires impounded animals to be licensed and microchipped as a condition of redemption;
• Contemplates waivers, reductions, and/or payment plans for those who cannot afford to repay
required costs when redeeming an animal; and
• Clarifies procedures for the disposition of abandoned animals.
Finance will include a revised Animal Licenses section in the next amendment to the City's Fee Schedule
Brochure to simplify and align the terminology with that used in the code.
EXHIBITS:
A.Ordinance
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the recommended amendment to Renton Municipal Codes 5-4-2, 6-6-2, 6-6-6, and 6-6-7
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
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CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON
ORDINANCE NO. ________
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, AMENDING SECTIONS
5‐4‐2, 6‐6‐2, 6‐6‐6, AND 6‐6‐7 OF THE RENTON MUNICIPAL CODE, REMOVING
REFERENCES TO LICENSES BEING ISSUED ANNUALLY AND DEFERRING TO THE
CITY’S FEE SCHEDULE BROCHURE WITH REGARD TO THE TERM OF LICENSES;
UPDATING REFERENCES TO STATE LAW; CLARIFYING THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR
A LOW‐INCOME SPECIAL LIFETIME LICENSE; CLARIFYING THE CIRCUMSTANCES
IN WHICH AN ANIMAL MAY BE IMPOUNDED AND PROCEDURES FOR SUCH
IMPOUNDS; REQUIRING IMPOUNDED ANIMALS TO BE LICENSED AND
MICROCHIPPED AS A CONDITION OF REDEMPTION; CONTEMPLATING WAIVERS,
REDUCTIONS, AND/OR PAYMENT PLANS FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO
REPAY REQUIRED COSTS WHEN REDEEMING AN ANIMAL; CLARIFYING
PROCEDURES FOR THE DISPOSITION OF ABANDONED ANIMALS; AND
PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I. Section 5‐4‐2, Annual Fees; Special Rates for Senior Citizens; Blind Persons
with Seeing Eye Dogs, of Chapter 4, Animal Licenses, of Title V (Finance and Business Regulations)
of the Renton Municipal Code, is amended as follows:
5‐4‐2 ANNUAL LICENSE FEES; SPECIAL RATES FOR ECONOMICALLY QUALIFIED
RESIDENTS SENIOR CITIZENS; BLIND PERSONS WITH AND EXEMPTION FOR
SEEING EYE DOGS GUIDES:
A. Every owner of a dog or cat shall apply and pay for a City animal license
within thirty (30) days of acquiring the animal and pay to renew such license on or
before the expiration date of the license. The City may issue licenses that are valid
for such duration set forth in this Chapter or in the All animal licenses issued after
January 1, 2010, shall be renewed annually upon the payment of applicable fees
as set forth in the City of Renton’s fFee sSchedule bBrochure.
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B. For licenses issued prior to January 1, 2010, the renewal date shall be prior
to the expiration of current license; upon which time the new license will be
converted to an annual license.
BC. Economically Qualified City Rresidents: sixty‐one (61) years of age or
older, if income qualified as set forth in subsection 8‐4‐31.C of the City Code shall
be eligible entitled to purchase a special lifetime permanent animal license. For
the purpose of this subsection, Economically Qualified Residents are defined to
include only: (1) low‐income senior or disabled residents who are receiving
discounted water utility rates pursuant to RMC 8‐4‐31 and (2) low‐income senior
or disabled residents who would be qualified for discounted water utility rates
pursuant to RMC 8‐4‐31, but do not have a separate water utility account with the
City. Any Economically Qualified resident Such qualified persons shall not be
required to annually purchase a new license for the lifetime of such licensed
animals; provided, that no person so qualified shall be granted limited to no more
than three (3) permanent special lifetime animal licenses for any combination of
three (3) cats and dogs for which they are the registered owners.
CD. Owners or custodians of dog guides may request and receive an
exemption from payment of licenses fees for such dog guides to the extent such
waiver is required by RCW 49.60.380 or other applicable state law. Residents of
the City who are the owners or custodians of seeing eye dogs shall be exempt from
the payment of the annual license fees for said dogs. For the purpose of this
Chapter the term “blind person” shall mean a person who has no vision or whose
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vision, with correcting glasses, is so defective as to prevent the performance of
ordinary activities for which eyesight is essential, and who is the owner or
custodian of a seeing eye dog to assist such person. Such qualified person shall be
eligible to receive from the Administrative Services Administrator a license for
such dog without any charge therefor. The Administrative Services Administrator
shall require proper evidence of such eligibility as further set forth in RCW
74.16.030, et seq. Such license shall not be transferable and shall be specifically
marked for such seeing eye dog.
DE. All applications for such licenses shall be made to the Administrative
Services Administrator and the annual license fees shall be paid upon receipt of a
renewal notice. In the event the owner or custodian of any such a dog or cat fails
to timely apply and pay for procure and fails to pay for such license fee at or before
the renewal date, or within thirty (30) days of acquiring the ownership or custody
of any such dog or cat a required license, a late charge shall be added to the
regular license fee as set forth in the City of Renton Fee Schedule Brochure. The
City may require reasonable evidence to determine the date of acquisition or
custody of any such dog or cat to ascertain whether a late charge shall be imposed.
F.E. The Administrative Services Administrator is hereby authorized to
permit the City’s animal control officer, or any other custodian of animals
impounded pursuant to the provisions of the City Code, and any duly licensed
veterinarian practicing his profession within the City to sell and issue licenses. The
Administrative Services Administrator may impose such additional regulations and
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procedures as may be reasonable to carry out the provisions of this Chapter. The
Administrative Services Administrator is hereby authorized to provide, by
appropriate designation, the special permanent licenses for qualified senior
citizens as hereinabove set forth.
SECTION II. Section 6‐6‐2, Taking Up of Animals; Fees, of Chapter 6, Animals and Fowl
at Large, of Title VI (Police Regulations) of the Renton Municipal Code, is amended as follows:
6‐6‐2 TAKING UP OF ANIMALS IMPOUND COSTS, AND REDEMPTION
REQUIREMENTS; FEE:
A. Right to Impound: An Animal Control Officer may seize and impound an
animal or take any other action authorized by law to restrain or protect any animal
or person where the (1) animal is at large, (2) the Animal Control Officer has
probable cause to believe that the owner is in violation of this Chapter or other
applicable law, (3) the animal is a threat to public safety, health or welfare, or (4)
as otherwise provided in this Chapter or applicable law. Impoundment shall not
be considered a condition precedent to the issuance of an infraction or citation.
Any duly authorized officer or employee of the City shall be empowered to take
up and impound all animals hereinabove specified, whether running at large or
otherwise violating the provisions of this Chapter.
A. Impound Fees: The owner or custodian of any animal impounded under
the provisions of this Chapter, unless otherwise provided for herein, shall pay to
the City’s Animal Control Officer the following, which shall then be promptly
remitted unto the Administrative Services Administrator by such Animal Control
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Officer, and which fees shall be in addition to all other charges payable under the
provisions of this Chapter.
1. First offense $5.00
2. Second offense 10.00
3. Third offense 25.00
4. Fourth offense 50.00
B. Redemption Requirements: The following requirements apply as a
condition to the redemption of an impounded animal:
1. License Required: Prior to redemption of an impounded unlicensed
animal, the owner or custodian of the animal shall, in addition to payment of the
impound fees and other costs, purchase a City Animal License, the fees for which
are set forth in the City’s fee schedule brochure.
2. Microchipping Required: Prior to redemption of an impounded animal
that was not microchipped at the time of impound, the City will cause the animal
to have a microchip inserted and the owner or custodian of the animal shall, in
addition to paying impound fees and other costs, reimburse the City for the actual
microchipping cost.
C. Reimbursement for Additional Costs Incurred: In addition to fees specified
in the City’s fee schedule brochure, and the other costs provided for herein, the
owner or custodian shall reimburse the City for any out of pocket costs incurred
as a result of the impound or condition of the animal, including, but not limited
to:
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
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1. Boarding;
2. Food;
3. Necessary medical care;
4. Vaccinations;
5. Veterinary exams, treatment, and other services; and
6. Transportation.
D. Payment Condition of Redemption: Unless otherwise provided herein, all
costs required to be paid by this Section shall be paid prior to or at the time of
redemption. The Administrative Services Administrator and/or the City’s Fee
Schedule Brochure may establish a uniformly applied system to waive, reduce, or
allow payment plans for the collection of the costs otherwise required to be paid
by this Section. Payment plans may require payment of interest and/or
administrative fees and shall require entry into a promissory note in a form
approved by the City Attorney. The City may deny renewal of an animal license for
an animal if its owner is in breach of a payment plan authorized by this Section.
Waivers and reductions shall be provided only to Economically Qualified
Residents, as defined in RMC 5‐4‐2. No waiver or reduction shall be allowed for
an animal that has been impounded more than once in the most recent one (1)
year period.
B. Large Lot Domestic Animal Redemption: Any horses, cattle, or similarly
sized animals may be redeemed by the payment of the fee of twenty dollars
($20.00) plus any out of pocket expenses by the City for boarding and feeding such
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animal., which fee shall be not less than five dollars ($5.00) per day for the keeping
and boarding of said animal.
C. Small and Medium Lot Domestic Animal Redemption: All small and
medium lot domestic animals, not to include such animals as horses, cattle or
similarly sized animals may be redeemed upon payment of a redemption fee in
the sum of twenty dollars ($20.00) plus the additional sum of five dollars ($5.00)
per day for the keeping of such animal. In the event any such animal is suffering
from any serious injury or disease requiring treatment, then an any additional fees
for such treatment shall be imposed by the agency having the custody of such
animal to cover the actual expenses of such treatment, including transportation
and special services rendered to such animal.
SECTION III. Section 6‐6‐6, Impounding Procedure, of Chapter 6, Animals and Fowl at
Large, of Title VI (Police Regulations) of the Renton Municipal Code, is amended as follows:
6‐6‐6 IMPOUNDING PROCEDURE:
A. Holding Facility: Whenever any animal is impounded, an Animal Control
Officer shall deliver the animal to a holding facility designated by the City. Unless
otherwise provided herein, animals shall be held for a minimum of seventy‐two
(72) hours from the time of impound prior to disposing of the animal.
B. Dangerous or Sick Animals: An Animal Control Officer, or agent thereof,
may dispatch any dangerous animal which is running at large and cannot in the
judgment of the Animal Control Officer be safely impounded. Injured or sick
animals may be euthanized when consistent with the professional judgment of a
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license veterinarian or the Animal Control Authority. The City shall not be liable
for damages arising from the destruction of such animals.
CA. Notice and Redeem: The City’s Animal Control Officer, as herein
designated, is authorized to enforce the animal control laws provided by this
Chapter and may take possession of an animal at large for safekeeping of the
animal or the public, or may impound any animals determined by such Animal
Control Officer to be doing or performing any of the acts prohibited by Section 6‐
6‐5 herein and thereby constituting a public nuisance as provided by Section 6‐6‐
5 of this Chapter. After such an animal is impounded, the Animal Control Officer
shall attempt to ascertain whether such animal is licensed, and if so or if the lawful
owner is otherwise known to the Animal Control Officer, shall within a reasonable
time notify, by letter, or telephone or in‐person contact, the person to whom the
license has been issued owner that such animal has been impounded and may be
redeemed within seventy‐two (72) hours of impound or be disposed of as herein
provided for. The notice should notify the owner of the location at which the
animal can be redeemed. Any animal so impounded pursuant to this Chapter shall
be held for the owner or lawful custodian up to a maximum period of seventy two
(72) hours by the impounding agency. The owner has the entire responsibility to
ascertain whether the animal was impounded and to take appropriate measures
to retrieve the animal. Neither the City, Animal Control Authority, nor its officers,
employees, or agents shall be held responsible for failing to notify an owner of the
impoundment under this Chapter.
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D. Disposition of Impounded Animals: In the event, however, any such
impounded animal is not timely redeemed within seventy‐two (72) hours of
impound, the animal may be considered abandoned and it shall be humanely
destroyed or otherwise disposed of by the impounding agency; provided,
however, that none of said animal so impounded shall be used for any
experimental purposes. Disposition of an impounded animal may include, but is
not limited to, the sale or transfer of all ownership rights to a new owner and/or
another agency that cares for and will attempt to find a new owner for the animal.
The Animal Control Authority holding the animal may, in its discretion, hold an
animal longer than the minimum seventy‐two (72) hour holding period for the
owner to redeem the animal, but shall not be held liable for destroying or
disposing of an animal that is not redeemed pursuant to the terms of this Chapter
within that minimum period. Dangerous Dogs may be held and redeemed as
provided as provided by RMC 6‐6‐9 and other applicable law.
EB. Notice and Right of Appeal: Prior to the destruction or disposition of any
licensed animal, or in those instances in which there is knowledge of the actual
owner or person in possession or control of any animal Any person who redeems
and pays all required costs for redemption of an animal may file a notice of appeal
within fifteen (15) calendar days of the impoundment. The notice of appeal shall
be on a fully completed form supplied by the City and filed with the City Clerk
within fifteen (15) days of the impound. If no form is provided, the notice of
appeal shall be in writing, signed by the owner, and describe in detail the basis for
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the appeal. The basis for appeal shall be, there shall be a notice sent to such
person that the animal has been impounded and may be destroyed or disposed of
if not claimed within seventy‐two (72) hours of the animal being impounded. The
notice will be given by actual notice, posting of notice at the location where the
animal was impounded or was kept or at the last known residence of the person
to whom notice was to be given, by surface mail, postage prepaid, or by any other
means which would increase the likelihood of the notice being received. The
notice shall also contain an appeal right to contest the justification for
impounding, or the mathematics used in calculating the impound fee and fee for
keeping the animal. The appeal shall be made, in writing, to the Police Chief or to
his designee, and shall be limited to the issues of the propriety of the impound
and whether or not the fees for redemption have been properly calculated.
Appeals shall be heard by the City’s Hearing Examiner with the owner having the
burden of proof to show by a preponderance of evidence that the animal was
improperly impounded or the fees and costs charged for redemption were not
properly calculated. If the owner prevails in such appeal, his/her remedy shall be
limited to refund of any fees or costs paid found by the Hearing Examiner to be
improperly calculated or charged as a result of an improper impoundment.
SECTION IV. Section 6‐6‐7, Responsibilities of Animal Control Officer, of Chapter 6,
Animals and Fowl at Large, of Title VI (Police Regulations) of the Renton Municipal Code, is
amended as follows:
6‐6‐7 RESPONSIBILITIES OF ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER:
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
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A. The City’s Animal Control Officer shall keep an adequate records of all
animals impounded, together with a description of such animal, the date of
impounding and the name and address, if known, of the owner or custodian of
such animal, together with the date of redemption, if any. The City shall likewise
furnish unto the City’s Animal Control Officer proper receipt books, including
triplicate forms, for the collection of all fines and fees due and collected under this
Section and same shall be remitted, at least monthly, unto the Administrative
Services Administrator, together with a complete set of copies of all such receipts.
B. The City’s Animal Control Officer is hereby authorized and directed to
issue an appropriate citation for any violation of any terms and conditions in this
Chapter.
SECTION V. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or work of this
ordinance should be held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court or competent jurisdiction,
such invalidity or unconstitutionality thereof shall not affect the constitutionality of any other
section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word of this ordinance.
SECTION VI. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect thirty (30) days after
publication of a summary of this ordinance in the City’s official newspaper. The summary shall
consist of this ordinance’s title.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this _______ day of ___________________, 2017.
Jason A. Seth, City Clerk
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
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APPROVED BY THE MAYOR this _______ day of _____________________, 2017.
Denis Law, Mayor
Approved as to form:
Shane Moloney, City Attorney
Date of Publication:
ORD:1962:6/9/17:scr
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)