(1) A person may not distribute in this state a pet food or specialty pet food that has not been registered by the department.

(2) All applications for registration must be submitted on forms provided by the department and must include:

(a) The name and mailing address of the applicant;

(b) The physical address of the applicant;

(c) The name, contact information, and signature of the applicant;

(d) Indication of the package sizes distributed for each product; and

(e) Other information required by the department by rule.

(3) An application for registration must be accompanied by a label and other applicable printed matter describing the product and the following fees:

(a) Twenty-two dollars per product for those products distributed only in packages of ten pounds or more;

(b) Ninety dollars per product for those products distributed in packages of less than ten pounds; or

(c) Ninety dollars per product for those products distributed both in packages of less than ten pounds and packages of ten pounds or more.

(4) Registrations are issued by the department for a two-year period beginning on July 1st of a given year and ending twenty-four months later on July 1st, except that registrations issued to a registrant who applies to register an additional product during the last twelve months of the registrant's period expire on the next July 1st.

(5) A distributor is not required to register a pet food or specialty pet food that is already registered under this chapter, as long as it is distributed with the original label.

(6) Changes in the guarantee of either chemical or ingredient composition of a pet food or specialty pet food registered under this chapter may be permitted if there is satisfactory evidence that such changes would not result in a lowering of the feed value of the product for the purpose for which it was designed.

(7) The department may deny registration of any pet food or speciality pet food not in compliance with this chapter and its rules. The department may cancel any registration subsequently found to be not in compliance with this chapter and its rules. Prior to denial or cancellation of a registration, the applicant or registrant of an existing registered pet food or specialty pet food must be notified of the reasons and given an opportunity to amend the application to comply. If the applicant does not make the necessary corrections, the department will deny or cancel the registration. The applicant or registrant of an existing registered pet food or specialty pet food may request a hearing as provided for in chapter 34.05 RCW.

(8) Application for renewal of registration is due July 1st of each registration period. If an application for renewal is not received by the department by the due date, a late fee of twenty dollars per product is added to the original fee and must be paid by the applicant before the renewal registration may be issued. A late fee will not apply if the applicant furnishes an affidavit that he or she has not distributed this feed subsequent to the expiration of the prior registration. Payment of a late fee does not prevent the department from imposing a penalty authorized by this chapter for the violation.

Effective date—2005 c 18 s 4: "Section 4 of this act takes effect July 1, 2006." [ 2005 c 18 s 12.]

Effective date—2005 c 18 s 3: "Section 3 of this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2005." [ 2005 c 18 s 11.]

Expiration date—2005 c 18 s 3: "Section 3 of this act expires July 1, 2006." [ 2005 c 18 s 13.]

Effective date—1995 c 374 ss 1-47, 50-53, and 59-68: See note following RCW 15.36.012.

Effective date—1975 1st ex.s. c 257: See note following RCW 15.13.470.