Banned Breeds: A State By State Guide (2024)

Breed specific legislation has been making the headlines for years. Breed specific legislation or as it is often called, BSL, is a law that bans or restricts certain types of dogs based on their appearance or breed in an effort to decrease dog attacks on humans or other animals. You may be surprised to see that a majority of the states in the U.S. either have BSL or allow BSL in some form – either through being grandfathered in or in or as a part of a homerule exemption. The most common breeds banned through BSL include:

Breed specific legislation first came into being in the early 1980s after several fatalities occurred following attacks committed by dogs. It was the aim of these early laws to identify certain breeds as “inherently dangerous to society.” It should be noted that dogs are not the only animals to have faced breed-specific legislation. At one point potbellied pigs were banned from city limits as were goats. BSL can range in severity and direction, for example, some BSL bans certain breeds from particular areas such as public beaches or parks, whereas other legislation bans entire breed from towns altogether. In the past 20 years over 25 different breeds have been involved in dog bite fatalities.

According to the Michigan State University College of Law, “Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is defined as a law or statute that equates the qualities of a dangerous dog with a certain breed, and bans or restricts certain breeds based on identity, not behavior of a specific animal. This type of legislation does not make concessions for those members of the breed who are valuable assets to their communities, such as therapy dogs, assistance dogs, or advanced trained dogs such as drug dogs and search and rescue dogs. BSL identifies a dog as “dangerous” based upon its breed alone and not based on any action or offense that the individual dog has ever committed”

When trying to understand BSL, you’ll come across some terms that may be unfamiliar to you. Below is a guide to help you understand some key BSL terms.

  1. BSL

    • Breed specific legislation

  2. BDL

    • Breed discriminatory legislation

  3. APBT

    • American Pit Bull Terrier

  4. HB

    • House Bill

  5. SB

    • Senate Bill

  6. Grandfather Clause

    • A law that allows municipal level laws to continue to be honored and enforced even after legislation that has been passed to ban BSL because the original municipal level law existed prior to any state-level legislation.

  7. Home rule Exception

    • A municipality is allowed to pass and enforce laws regardless of if there is a state level law or not. Such could be the case in states that allow municipalities to self-govern outside of state laws.

Breed specific legislation can include either bans or restrictions. Some restrictions include:

  • Muzzling the dog while in public

  • Spaying or neutering the dog

  • Contain the dog in a specified kennel with predetermined features such as concrete floors and chain link walls

  • Keeping the dog on a leash of a predetermined size

  • Purchasing liability insurance of a predetermined amount

  • Hang “vicious dog” signs at the place of residence

  • Have the dog wear a “vision dog” tag or identifying marker

States with breed specific legislation being enforced and there is no legislation that prohibits breed specific legislation

Washington

Oregon

Idaho

Montana

North Dakota

Wyoming

Nebraska

Kansas

Iowa

Missouri

Arkansas

New Mexico

Louisiana

Wisconsin

Michigan

Indiana

Ohio

West Virginia

Kentucky

Tennessee

Mississippi

Alabama

Georgia

North Carolina

South Carolina

Maryland

Delaware

Vermont

States where there is some state law that prohibits breed-specific legislation from being enforced, but there are cases that are being allowed.

California

Colorado

Illinois

Florida

States where there is no breed specific legislation.

Nevada

Utah

Arizona

Texas

Oklahoma

South Dakota

Minnesota

Virginia

Pennsylvania

Connecticut

Rhode Island

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

Maine

Alaska

Hawaii

New Jersey

New York

For the most up-to-date information on breed specific legislation, we recommend the BSL Census where there is a live census that is continually being updated with BSL news and notifications including repeals and implementation of breed specific legislation. If you have questions about dog behavior or would like to learn more about specific breeds, then check out our online database that includes over 10,000 vet approved articles. Furthermore, our vets have put together some great ways to stay safe around all breeds of dogs.

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Banned Breeds: A State By State Guide (2024)

FAQs

Which dog breed is banned in america? ›

A number of breeds have been restricted or banned, including Rottweilers, American Staffordshire Bull Terriers ("Pit Bulls"), Chow Chows, German Shepherd Dogs, and Doberman Pinschers, and the list is growing.

What is a banned breed? ›

Prohibited breeds include: American Pit Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, American Staffordshire Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Boerboel, Fila Brasiliero, Cane Corso, Presa Canario, Neapolitan Mastiff, Tosa Inu, Wolf or Wolf hybrid, and crossbreeds thereof, as well as "any exotic or uncommon breed" at the government's ...

Are pitbulls banned in USA? ›

Are Pit Bulls banned in some states? Breed-specific legislation is typically enacted at the county or municipal level. Currently, no state outlaws Pit Bulls entirely, although some of America's biggest cities still enforce bans and restrictions.

Are pitbulls banned in Texas? ›

Texas is one of seventeen states that prohibits its municipalities from passing breed-specific legislation (BSL) or breed bans. Breed bans are laws that prohibit specific breeds of dogs based on characteristics, like the way the dog looks or the shape of its head.

Where are dogs banned? ›

Countries named in the ban include Kenya, Brazil, Russia, North Korea, and China. According to the Associated Press, many of the dogs who were previously denied entry into the U.S. because of false paperwork came from Russia, Ukraine, and Colombia.

Why are German shepherds banned? ›

In other countries such as Ukraine, Bermuda, Belarus and the US they consider German Shepherds to be a dangerous dog breed. In Ukraine, they believe they have an aggressive and protective nature and therefore forbid citizens from owning them.

Can homeowners insurance drop you because of a dog? ›

Can Homeowners Insurance Drop You Because Of A Dog? It's unlikely that your homeowners insurance will drop you because of a dog. However, if your dog falls under the provider's “breed list” that determines which breeds they will or will not cover, you may be required to pay a higher insurance premium.

Why are Cane Corsos banned? ›

Cane Corsos are banned because of their size, which leads to serious injury to humans and their pets when they're left out. In addition, people could also be harmed by Cane Corsos when they're left in their homes.

Why are dog breeds banned? ›

This is when a local, state/provincial or, in some cases, national government bans certain types of dog breeds arbitrarily deemed “aggressive” by local authorities. Just about any breed of dog can be aggressive, and the dogs bred to look tough aren't always the breeds that do the most damage.

Are Dobermans banned in the US? ›

Doberman pinscher

The Doberman pinscher has become one of the most commonly banned dogs across the United States. But the reason why may have more to do with politics than with the nature of the breed itself.

Are German shepherds a restricted breed? ›

Breed restrictions can vary from one place to another. However, these breeds are the most common on restricted breeds lists: Pit bulls (American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier, and American Bulldog) German Shepherds.

Why are American pit bull terriers banned? ›

Others were bred to fight, and this led to stereotypes that the dogs were inherently dangerous. Starting in the 1980s, a series of high-profile pit bull attacks led to communities around the United States instituting bans on owning or breeding pit bulls. The dogs were frequently associated with criminal behavior.

Are blue nose pitbulls? ›

They Are Not A Separate Pitbull Breed

In fact, a blue nose occurs in several pit bull breeds. In most cases, a Blue Nose Pitbull is an American Pit Bull Terrier that comes from a lineage of pit bulls that display the recessive blue nose.

Are Rottweilers banned in Canada? ›

List of prohibited dog breeds in Canada. Canada does not have a blanket ban on any aggressive dog breeds.

Are Dobermans banned in Texas? ›

Texas is in the process of enacting breed bans on pit bulls, Doberman Pinchers and Rottweilers.

Is Cane Corso a restricted breed? ›

Here's a list of the most commonly banned breeds: German shepherds. Pit bull terriers. Cane corsos.

Is America banning dogs? ›

The United States government has eased up on a rule that had banned the importation of dogs from 113 countries because of concerns over fraudulent rabies vaccination certificates. The change comes less than six weeks after the ruling, which pet owners had complained was overly restrictive, went into full effect.

Which country have no dogs? ›

Here's How The Netherlands Has Become The First Country With No Stray Dogs! The Netherlands holds the proud, new title of being the first country in the world to have no stray dogs. Take a sigh of relief- it wasn't achieved with any euthanasia!

What breed of dog kills the most? ›

The following infographic shows that the Pit Bull is still responsible for the most fatal attacks in the U.S. by far, killing 284 people over that 13-year period - 66 percent of total fatalities. That's despite the breed accounting for just 6.5% of the total U.S. dog population.

Is Doberman banned in India? ›

Which dog is not allowed in India? In India, what dogs are banned? Some dog breeds are banned in certain countries (e.g. Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, American Bulldogs, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Japanese Tosa Inus, etc.).

Why are Huskies banned from Antarctica? ›

Sled dogs were used until 1992, when they were banned from Antarctica by the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty over concerns that the dogs might transfer diseases such as canine distemper to the seal population.

Can you lie about your dog breed? ›

Take breed restrictions seriously

It might be tempting to lie on your application about your pets, but lying is the worst thing you can do. If a landlord discovers you've been dishonest about your pet(s), they can potentially evict you — and living on the street is not an option.

Can landlords legally say no pets? ›

A Tenant must seek the prior written consent of the Landlord should they wish to keep pets or other animals at the Property. A Landlord must not unreasonably withhold or delay a written request from a Tenant without considering the request on its own merits.

Should I tell my insurance I have a dog? ›

Yes, you should tell your homeowner's insurance company if you have a dog. Homeowners insurance for dog owners will indemnify you against claims for damages as a result of your negligence, including dog bites and property damage.

Do I need to tell my insurance company I have a dog? ›

For that reason dog bites usually fall under the purview of your personal liability insurance, which is really a part of your home insurance policy. It's because of this liability exposure that makes it important to advise your insurance broker or company of the fact that you have a dog.

Does Geico allow pit bulls? ›

Amica is also known for having the lowest rates on the market, comparable to Geico - Geico, unfortunately, does not cover all dog breeds, and they have restrictions on pit bulls, so Amica might be your second go-to company.

Who is no 1 dog in world? ›

The Labrador Retriever has been the most popular since 1991.

What dog is most likely to turn on its owner? ›

Pit Bull Terriers

Probably the most notorious breed on this list, the pit bull has a reputation for unpredictability and aggression, even against its owner or his family. State and local governments have been vigorous at restricting ownership of this dog with breed-specific legislation.

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