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Arkansas

breed Specific Legislation for Arkansas

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Active Regulations

The following is a list of active breed-specific ordinances in Arkansas.
The list is in alphabetical order

City: Arkadelphia

Ordinance:

Section: 6.16

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

Unknown

Breeds:

Pit Bulls & American Bulldogs

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

It shall be unlawful for any
person to keep within the city limits of Arkadelphia any Pit Bull dog as defined in 6.12.01, except
for AKC or UKC registered show dog as defined and identified in 6.12.01 of this ordinance, or
registered in accordance with 6.12.03. (Ord. No. O-07-4, Sec. 2.)

City: Batesville

Ordinance:

2010-11-3

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

November 2010

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

Banning of specific breeds. Banned breeds of dogs are banned entirely and may not be owned or kept within the city. Banned breeds of dogs are any of the following:
1. American Pit Bull Terrier
2. Staffordshire Bull Terriers
3. American Staffordshire Terrier
4. Any dog whose sire or dam is a dog of breed which is defined as a banned breed under this section.
5. Any dog whose owner registers, defines, admits or otherwise identifies the dog as a banned breed.
6. Any dog conforming or substantially conforming to the breed of American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, as defined by the United Kennel Club or American Kennel Club.

City: Beebe

Ordinance:

2017-5

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

March 2017

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

A Pit Bull Dog is a vicious dog and vicious animal, pursuant to the Beebe Animal Control Code.

It shall be unlawful to keep, harbor, own or in any possesses a vicious dog within the corporate city limits of Beebe...

City: Camden

Ordinance:

5-63

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

May 2017

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Labeled "Vicious Dog"

Excerpt

A vicious dog shall be:

(a)Any dog with a known propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack unprovoked to cause injury, or to otherwise threaten the safety of human beings or domestic animals.

(b)Pit bull dogs. For the purpose of this section "pit bull dogs" means any pit terrier of the Stratfordshire Bull Terrier, American Stratfordshire, or American Pit Bull breed of dog or any mixed breed of dog, which contains an element of its breeding the above named breeds so as to be identified as partially of the breed of Stratfordshire Bull Terrier, American Stratfordshire Terrier or American Pit Bull Terrier. Also any other breed commonly known as Pit Bull, Pit Bull Dogs, or Pit Bull Terrier or a combination of any other of these breeds.

City: Caraway

Ordinance:

2017-6

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

May 2017

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

A Pit Bull Dog is a vicious dog and vicious animal, pursuant to the Caraway Animal Control Code.

It shall be unlawful to keep, harbor, own or in any possesses a dangerous dog within the corporate city limits of Caraway...

City: Carlisle

Ordinance:

294

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

May 2017

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

"Banned Breeds of Dogs" are banned entirely and may not be owned or kept within the City of Carlisle, Arkansas. "Banned Breeds of
Dogs" are defined as any of the following:
1. American Pit Bull Terrierl
2.Staffordshire Bull Terrier:
3. American Staffordshire Terrier;
4.  Any dog whose sire or dam is a dog of a breed which is defined as a banned breed of dog under this section;
5. Any dog whose owner registers, defines, admits or otherwise
identifies said dog as being of a banned breed;
6. Any dog conforming, or substantially conforming to the breed of American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier,
or Staffordshire Bull Terrier as defined by the United Kennel Club or American Kennel Club;

City: Dardanelle

Ordinance:

4-115

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

Unknown

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

Sec. 4-115. - Banning and registering certain breeds of dogs.
(a)Banned pit bull breeds of dogs are banned entirely and may not be owned or kept within the city. Banned breeds of pit bull dogs are any of the following:

(1)American Pit Bull Terrier.

(2)Staffordshire Bull Terrier, unless they meet the requirements of subsection 4-115(b).

(3)American Staffordshire Terrier, unless they meet the requirements of subsection 4-115(b).

(4)American Bull Dog.

(5)Any dog whose sire or dam is a dog of a breed which is defined as a banned breed of dog under this section.(6)Any dog whose owner registers, defines, admits or otherwise identifies the dog as being of a banned breed.

(7)Any dog conforming or substantially conforming to the breed of American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier or American Bull Dog as defined by the United Kennel Club or American Kennel Club.

(8)Any dog which is of the breed commonly referred to as "pit bull" and commonly recognized and identifiable as such by a licensed veterinarian.

City: De Queen

Ordinance:

949

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

Unknown

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

Section 1. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep within the City of De Queen, Arkansas, any breed of dog identified as “Pit Bull” as defined below.

City: Garland County

Ordinance:

10-16 & 10-18

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

Unknown

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Declared "High Risk Breed"

Excerpt

10-16: High risk breed .

(1)Certain types of dogs have physical characteristics that present a significant risk to the public. These dogs are generically referred to as "gripper breeds" because they bite onto a victim and shake causing massive disfiguring or even fatal injuries. These breeds include all "pit bull" types referred to as the American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, and any dog of mixed breeding that has the primary characteristics of an American pit bull terrier. Though rarely seen, Dogo Argentines, Persa Canarios, and Can Carsos, (and any dog of mixed breeding that has the primary characteristics of these breeds) are also commonly considered to be among the "gripper breeds."

10-18

No owner of, custodian of, or person with authority to control a dog classified as a high risk breed shall suffer or permit such dog to go unconfined on the premises of any other person's real property or onto a public right-of-way. A dog classified as a high risk breed is deemed "unconfined", as the term is used in this section, if such dog is not securely confined indoors or confined in a secure fenced area, an enclosed and locked pen or a dog run area upon the premises of said person.

Source:

City Code

City: Gassville

Ordinance:

2000-07

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

July 2000

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

Section 2-A. No person shall own or keep a pit bull terrier within the municipal limits of the City of Gassville, Arkansas.

City: Jacksonville

Ordinance:

6.04.045 Section D

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

Unknown

Breeds:

Pit Bulls, Bull Dogs

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

Ban: It shall hereafter be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to keep, own, or harbor within the City limits any of the following breeds and/or mixes of breeds of the following:

a)Stafford Bull Terrier;
b)American Pit Bull Terrier;
c)American Bull Dog;d)American Staffordshire Terrier;
e)Dogs of mixed breed or of other breeds similar to those above-listed breed(s) that are commonly known as Pit Bull(s), Bull Dog(s), or Pit Bull Terrier(s);
f)Any breed being a predominate breed of a Stafford Bull Terrier, an American Pit Bull Terrier, Bull Dog, American Staffordshire Terrier or any mix and/or mixed breed thereof; and,
g)Any dog whose sire or dam is a dog of a breed defined herein as a banned breed under this Code.

City: Little Rock

Ordinance:

6-19

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

Unknown

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Labeled "Potentially Dangerous Breed"

Excerpt

(3)A potentially dangerous breed shall include the following:(i)A pit bull, which is defined as any dog that is an American pit bull terrier, a Staffordshire terrier, or American Staffordshire terrier, and any dog of mixed breeding that has the primary characteristics of an American pit bull terrier, a Staffordshire terrier, or an American Staffordshire terrier. The American Kennel Club and United Kennel Club standards for the above breeds shall be on file for viewing at the city's animal shelter.

City: Lake City

Ordinance:

6.04.03

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

Unknown

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

6.04.03 Pit bull dogs banned It shall hereafter be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to keep within the corporate limits of the city any Pit Bulldog. (Ord. No. 91-135,
Sec. 3.)

City: Mountain Home

Ordinance:

Section X

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

Unknown

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

A. No person shall own or keep a pit bull terrier within the municipal limits of the
City of Mountain Home.

City: Paragould

Ordinance:

Section 6-121

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

Unknown

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Labeled "Dangerous Animal"

Excerpt

(3)Any pit bull dog. The term "pit bull dog" is defined to mean any and all of the following dogs:

a.The Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed of dogs;

b.The American Staffordshire Terrier breed of dogs;

c.The American Pit Bull Terrier breed of dogs;

d.Dogs which have the appearance and characteristics of being predominately of the breeds of dogs known as Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, or American Staffordshire Terrier.

City: Pine Bluff

Ordinance:

Section 5-27

Last Verified:

02/11/2023

Ordinance Adopted:

Unknown

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Type 

Ban

Excerpt

(c)A pit bull breed dog, other than an AKC or UKC registered show dog, is restricted within the city limits of Pine Bluff, and must be registered pursuant to the provisions of section 5-43 of this Code, unless the animal is owned and maintained by a local, state or federal agency and used for law enforcement purposes, or is used as a service animal by a handicapped or disabled person; provided, however, that an AKC or UKC registered show dog, registered dog, law enforcement dog, or service dog, found and declared to be a "vicious dog" pursuant to section 5-42 shall be prohibited from remaining in the city pursuant to section 5-27(a). It shall be unlawful for any person to keep within the city limits of Pine Bluff any pit bull dog as defined in section 5-26, except in compliance with the provisions of section 5-43 of this Code.

Repealed Ordinances

The following is a list of breed-specific ordinances which have been repealed.
The list is in alphabetical order.

City: Cabot

Old Ordinance:

4-114

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Removal Date:

May 2019

Source(s):

News Source Ordianance# 9 of 2019

City: Irondale

Old Ordinance:

3.90 & 3.91

Breeds:

Pit Bulls

Removal Date:

April 2019

Source(s):

Ordianance# 2019-12

Questionable

The following is a list of questionable active or repealed ordinances. We have not been able to verify the accuracy of these claims. However, we are listing them here in case you can verify these claims.

City: Des Arc

Claimed:

Either bans or restricts certain dog breeds.
We have not been able to confirm this. 

Source(s):

User email 9/2018

City: Dierks

Claimed:

Ban on Pit Bulls
We have not been able to confirm this.

Source(s):

User Email 7/2017

City: Dover

Claimed:

Ban on Pit Bulls
We have not been able to confirm this.

Source(s):

User Email 7/2018

List of Breed Specific Legislation in Arkansas

City Ordinance Breeds Type of Ordinance Last Checked Notes
Arkadelphia Section: 6.16 Pit Bulls & American Bulldogs Mandatory spayed or neutered 02/11/2023 none
Batesville Section: 6.04.12 Pit Bulls Ban 02/11/2023 none
Bebee Ordinance 2017-5 Pit Bulls Ban 02/11/2023 none
Camden Section: 5-63 Pit Bulls Ban Source 02/11/2023 none
Caddo Valley Not Confirmed Pit Bulls Ban none
Caraway Ordinance 2017-6 Pit Bulls Ban 02/11/2023 none
Carlisle Ordinance 294 Pit Bulls Ban 02/11/2023 none
Dardanelle Section: 4-115 Pit Bulls & American Bulldogs Ban 02/11/2023 none
De Queen 949 Pit Bulls Ban 02/11/2023 none
Garland County Section: 10-16  Pit Bulls Labeled "high-risk breed" 02/11/2023 none
Gassville Ordinance 97-05 Pit Bulls Ban 02/11/2023 none
Jacksonville Ordinance 1480 (2013) Pit Bulls & American Bulldogs Ban 02/11/2023 none
Little Rock Section:6-19 Pit Bulls Potentially Dangerous 02/11/2023 none
Lake City Section: 6.04.03 Pit Bulls & American Bulldogs Ban 02/11/2023 none
Mountain Home Section: 96-018 Pit Bulls Ban 02/11/2023 none
Paragould Section: 6-121 Pit Bulls Dangerous 02/11/2023 none
Pine Bluff Section: 5-27 Pit Bulls Dangerous 02/11/2023 none

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Check Other States Breed Specific Legislation

Disclaimer. We take multiple steps to ensure the information on this site is accurate and up to date. However, since there are so many legislation bodies it is difficult to track all instances of breed specific legislation. If we are missing something or if we have an error please let us know and will get it corrected.

Finally, information on this site is not intended to be used as legal advice. If you are facing BSL in your city, please reach out to your respect legislator or attorney.
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