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Tacoma committee advances animal‑control code edits to study session; tightens outdoor‑pig rules, licensing incentives considered
Summary
Committee members reviewed a draft overhaul of Tacoma’s animal‑control code on March 18 that adds swine family animals to municipal regulations for outdoor keeping, lowers the indoor pet‑pig weight limit, requires licensing, spay/neuter and microchipping, and directs the proposal to a study session for further review.
The Government Performance and Finance Committee on March 18 heard staff briefings on a package of proposed updates to Tacoma’s animal control code and agreed to move the draft to a city study session for further consideration.
Chair Hines summarized proposed changes intended to address animal overpopulation and impacts on neighborhoods. Staff said Tacoma‑Pierce County Humane Society no longer accepts stray animals from Better Way as of Jan. 1, 2025; those animals are now directed to a shelter in Burien called Cares, and the humane society supports the code updates.
Key proposed changes include adding all members of the swine family (pigs, boars, sows, gilts, shoats and piglets) to Tacoma Municipal Code Title 5 for outdoor‑keeping rules; keeping hogs raised for slaughter prohibited; and applying the 11 existing Title 5 conditions used for animals such as chickens to outdoor pigs. Those conditions include written consent of all property owners within 50 feet, minimum property square footage, keeping animals at least 50 feet from adjoining property lines, rodent‑proof and sanitary structures, daily collection and secure storage of manure to prevent flies and odors, and prohibitions on objectionable odors, noises or unsightliness. Code enforcement — not animal control — would enforce outdoor pig standards.
For indoor pigs, staff are not proposing a ban but recommended new requirements: licensing, spay/neuter, microchipping and a lowered weight limit from 200 pounds to 150 pounds for household pet pigs, and leashing when off the owner’s property. Hines said the lower weight threshold was intended to better distinguish typical pet pigs from animals kept for production.
The draft also proposes expanding reduced‑rate pet licensing to include residents who qualify for the city’s BCAP program (in addition to the current age‑65 reduced rate), and retaining the humane society’s ability to keep the first year of license fees on adopted animals as an important revenue stream. Committee members discussed enforcement mechanisms for breeders and sellers; staff said animal control investigates complaints and that the code changes would add criminal penalties in some cases and create a separate misdemeanor classification for certain offenses.
Committee members expressed support for the goals of reducing overpopulation and protecting animals while noting resource limits for enforcement. The package will proceed to study session for additional review and possible refinement.
