Cowlitz County shifts dangerous‑animal hearings to hearing examiner

The Cowlitz County Board of County Commissioners voted to amend Chapter 6.13 of the county code to transfer determinations about dangerous domestic animals to a retained hearing examiner.

Jason Loreen of the Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney's Office told the board the change follows a workshop with the new board and staff analysis. "It would benefit all parties if a hearing examiner were to hear any hearings regarding the determination of an animal being dangerous or not," he said. Loreen said the prior board had used a board‑level determination and that other counties' experience (cited in staff work) suggested using a hearing examiner is more efficient for a likely small number of annual cases.

The amendment applies to domestic animals (household pets) and does not change state fish and wildlife authority over wild animals such as bears or cougars; a public commenter asked whether the chapter covers wildlife and was told the code addresses domestic animals and that wildlife concerns are handled by state fish and wildlife.

Commissioners moved and approved the amendment by voice vote during the meeting.

Endnote: staff said the county already retains hearing examiners for some land‑use matters and that the new assignment would fit within those existing services; officials estimated relatively few hearings of this type each year.