26.65.070 Cruelty to animals.
(1) It shall be unlawful to purposely or knowingly:
(a) Torture, torment, mutilate, cruelly beat or kill, or seriously overwork an animal; or
(b) Fail to provide necessary food, drink, air, light, space, shelter, or care for an animal in one’s custody; or
(c) Abandon or leave an animal unattended with no intent to return; or
(d) Transport or confine an animal in a cruel manner; or
(e) Kill, injure, or administer poison to an animal without cause to do so; or
(f) Cause one mammal to fight with another.
(2) Right to Intervene. An animal control authority shall have the power to intervene to prevent the perpetration of any above act of cruelty upon any animal and may seize the animal for its safety until conditions are again safe for the animal.
(3) Veterinary and Scientific Research Exempt. It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the conduct of the actor toward the animal was an accepted veterinary practice or directly related to a bona fide experimentation for scientific research; provided, that if the animal is to be destroyed, the manner employed will not be unnecessarily cruel unless directly necessary to the veterinary purpose or scientific research involved.