Which Dogs Are on the Banned List?

A banned list includes dogs that for some reason are not allowed inside a country. Not all banned dogs are completely forbidden. In most cases, people who live inside the country and already own these dogs are allowed to keep them. However, they might need special permits, or they might need to muzzle the dogs in order to take them outside.

  1. U.S.

    • The U.S. has no official list of banned dogs. This means any dog can be imported into the country as long as all paperwork is available. In February 2011, Maine was the first state in the U.S. to pass legislation to ban wolf hybrids. These are dogs bred by crossing a wolf and a dog and, according to the bill, should be considered "wild animals." Numerous deaths are reported every year by owners of wolf hybrids.

    URDOG List

    • URDOG is the short name for the United Responsible Dog Owner Groups Inc. This nonprofit group works on raising awareness about responsible dog ownership. URDOG has compiled a list of dog breeds that are either already banned or are recommended for banning by U.S. legislation. The list includes 75 breeds, most of which are fighting breeds, such as pitbulls, bulldogs and boxers. However, the list also includes some surprising breeds, like pugs and golden retrievers.

    UK

    • The UK has a Dangerous Dog Act, which was established in 1991. The list prohibits ownership and import of any "pitbull type dog," as well as any dog that has been bred for fighting or looks like it could have been bred for that purpose. The list also bans three specific breeds: the dogo Argentino, the fila Brasileiro and the Japanese Tosa.

    Dangerous Dogs

    • Owners of dog breeds that are banned or in the list of dangerous dogs must meet certain regulations in order to keep their dogs. Dogs can only be taken out in public if they're on a short leash and muzzled. Males must be neutered. All dogs need a tattoo and must be registered with the local police. Owners also need to be insured. Although these policies are severely enforced in the UK, laws are more relaxed in the U.S. Check in with your city, as laws also change from state to state.