Modernizing the Seattle Municipal Code
Section 9.12.010
Did you know that Seattle has a poundmaster? It does, at least according to the first section of the Seattle Municipal Code dealing with animals in the city.
The terms “pound” and “poundmaster” each appear only once in the code at the very beginning of Title 9: Animals, specifically in Section 9.12.010 “Quarantine of Suspected Animal.” This section is the result of a city ordinance passed in 1952.
It may seem like a minor quibble, but the presence of these antiquated terms is a subtle statement about the attention our city government gives to animal welfare. There have been amendments to Title 9 over the years. The most recent amendment occurred just two years ago in 2022. And yet, in over seventy years of amendments, no one thought to remove the terms “pound” and “poundmaster” from this section.
The History of the Pound
A “poundmaster” oversees a pound. The word “pound” has its origins in the animal pounds of agricultural communities. These were corrals or pens where livestock were held or “impounded” until their owners came to retrieve them for a fine. If no owner stepped forward to pay, the animals were sold at the local market. Some of these pens are still standing in parts of England and the U.S.
The term eventually evolved to mean municipal buildings where stray and dangerous animals were taken by “dogcatchers.” In the 19th century, a rabies panic led the New York City health department to offer a reward for every stray or “rule breaking” dog brought to the pound, where they could be reclaimed for a fine or be killed. The money-making potential led to some “dogcatchers” falsely accusing people of breaking ordinances and sometimes stealing dogs right out of their owners’ arms!
Over time, pounds began offering the option of adoption, but only for short periods of time. If owners did not claim the animals and they were not adopted, they were usually euthanized. Injured and sick animals, as well as animals deemed “dangerous,” “feral,”or “special needs,” did not even have this luxury: they were simply euthanized upon intake. While some local humane societies received contracts to manage pounds, most of them were run by municipal administrations.
Today, jurisdictions have moved away from the word “pound” and many municipal animal services prefer the term “animal shelter.” Dogs are still the majority of animals at shelters, but there are also a range of species who serve as companion animals such as rabbits, birds, and cats. Unfortunately, many municipal shelters still suffer from a lack of resources and still operate under the pound model of high euthanasia rates. And the term “pound” still creeps into conversations, even with the Millennial and Gen Z generations.
It’s A Simple Issue For Seattle To Solve
The animal welfare movement has actively sought to move away from the term “pound” due to the history and negative connotations. To find it in the animal welfare section of a city that prides itself on its progressivism is jarring.
Title 9 of the Seattle Municipal Code needs a massive overhaul, but it is not necessary to do so in order to amend this one section. It would be a simple matter that could occur on its own or in tandem with another amendment.
Seattle doesn’t have a pound or a poundmaster, it has the Seattle Animal Shelter and an Executive Director. Its law code should reflect that.
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