| Ireland | Muzzle and leash requiredControl of Dogs Regulations 1998: restricted breeds (and their crosses) must be muzzled in public, on a strong lead of max 2 m, held by a person over 16, with a collar showing the owner's name and address. | official |
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| Germany | Import bannedFederal HundVerbrEinfG (2001): Pitbull-Terrier, American Staffordshire-Terrier, Staffordshire-Bullterrier, Bullterrier and their crosses may not be imported or brought into Germany; keeping rules are set by each Land. | official |
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| Germany, Baden-Württemberg | RestrictedPolVOgH list 2: dangerousness assumed only if indications exist; authorities may impose conditions. | official |
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| Germany, Bayern | RestrictedKategorie 1 of the Bavarian Kampfhundeverordnung: fighting-dog status is irrebuttably presumed; keeping requires a permit from the municipality, granted only for a special interest. | official |
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| Germany, Bremen | BannedBremHundeG 2025 (replacing the 2001 law), section 7: Pit Bull Terrier, Bullterrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bullterrier and their crosses are dangerous dogs. Breeding, trading and acquiring them is banned, and keeping one is banned unless an exception permit is granted after a passed temperament test. | source |
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| Germany, Hamburg | RestrictedHamburgisches Hundegesetz: these four breeds are irrebuttably dangerous; keeping needs a permit, muzzle and leash in public. | official |
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| Germany, Hessen | RestrictedHundeVO 2003 (amended 2022): one list of presumed dangerous breeds; keeping needs a permit, Wesenstest, Sachkunde, liability insurance, muzzle and leash. | official |
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| Germany, Nordrhein-Westfalen | RestrictedLHundG NRW §3 gefährliche Hunde: permit, Sachkunde before the official vet, criminal record check, liability insurance, microchip, leash and muzzle outside fenced property. | official |
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| Germany, Rheinland-Pfalz | RestrictedLHundG RP 2004: keeping needs a permit (Sachkunde, reliability, insurance), muzzle and leash in public. | source |
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| Germany, Saarland | RestrictedSaarland dog ordinance (HuV SL 2022): presumed dangerous, rebuttable by a temperament test; permit, muzzle and leash otherwise. | source |
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| Germany, Sachsen-Anhalt | RestrictedHundeG LSA 2009: dogs that may not be imported under the federal HundVerbrEinfG are presumed dangerous; keeping must be notified and needs a Wesenstest, insurance, leash and muzzle. | source |
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| Lithuania | RestrictedDangerous breeds (pavojingi sunys): permit from the municipality to keep in multi-apartment buildings, warning sign, muzzle and short leash in public, microchip and rabies vaccination; the list is exhaustive. | source |
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| Luxembourg | Permit requiredLoi du 9 mai 2008 relative aux chiens art. 10: for 'chiens susceptibles d'etre dangereux' the owner needs a keeping authorisation from the Minister of Agriculture before acquiring the dog, must complete the LAK theory course (Hondsfuehrerschaein), and the dog must pass a training course and exam before 18 months, with a second declaration to the commune. Castration can be required. All dogs in Luxembourg need liability insurance. | official |
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| Switzerland, Zürich | BannedHundeverordnung §5 Rassetypenliste II (the canton says the list is not complete): breeding, keeping, buying and bringing these types into the canton is prohibited. Rottweilers registered in the canton before 1 Jan 2025 may be kept only with a Haltebewilligung after a temperament test (applications by 30 June 2025). Visitors may stay up to 30 days a year with leash and muzzle in public. | official |
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| Switzerland, Valais | BannedConseil d'Etat decision 2005 under art. 37 LALPA: any new keeping of these 12 breeds, crosses included, is banned. Stays of up to 30 days per year are allowed, with a leash and a muzzle (or a dental guard that prevents bites) outside private areas. | source |
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| Switzerland, Ticino | Permit requiredRegolamento sui cani (RCani, in force 1 Jan 2026) art. 14-20: the 32 listed breeds (Bull Terrier and Miniature Bull Terrier share one entry) and their crosses, born after 1 April 2009, need an authorisation from the cantonal veterinary office before acquisition, a training course, and aptitude tests at 9 to 13 months and again in the third year. Applies to residents and to anyone staying with the dog in the canton for at least 30 days a year. | source |
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| Switzerland, Other cantons | Permit requiredPermit (Bewilligungspflicht) cantons per SRF overview (Dec 2024): Aargau (7 bull types + Rottweiler, per Hundeverordnung para 11: American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, American Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Bully, Rottweiler), Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft (8), Solothurn (8), Glarus (10 incl. German and Belgian Shepherd), Schaffhausen (14), Thurgau (14); no breed rules in AI, AR, BE, GR, JU, LU, NE, SG, UR, ZG, NW, OW, SZ. | source |
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| Austria, Wien | Permit requiredWiener Tierhaltegesetz and Hundefuehrscheinverordnung: 'Listenhunde' need a Hundefuehrschein (exam within 3 months, repeat after 21-24 months), muzzle and leash in public, handler at least 16 and under 0.5 permille alcohol; Sachkunde course before registering since 1 July 2019. | official |
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| Austria, Niederösterreich | RestrictedNOe Hundehaltegesetz §2: 'Hunde mit erhoehtem Gefaehrdungspotential' must be notified to the municipality, extended Sachkunde, muzzle and leash in built-up areas, transport, schools and parks. | official |
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| Austria, Oberösterreich | RestrictedOOe Hundehaltegesetz (new rules from 1 Dec 2024): 'spezielle Hunde' are treated as large dogs regardless of size, must pass an Alltagstauglichkeitspruefung and are under leash and muzzle duty in public places. | source |
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| Austria, Vorarlberg | Permit requiredVorarlberg: keeping a listed breed requires an authorisation; muzzle, leash or custody conditions are set case by case by decision (older secondary overview, not re-verified against the current law). | source |
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| Spain | Permit requiredReal Decreto 287/2002 (Ley 50/1999) 'perros potencialmente peligrosos': municipal licence (adult, clean record, psychological and physical aptitude, liability insurance of at least 120,000 EUR), muzzle and non-extensible leash under 2 m in public, one PPP per handler; a 2025 draft decree under Ley 7/2023 would let dogs leave the category by passing aptitude tests but is not yet approved. | official |
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| Portugal | Permit requiredPortaria 422/2004 lists the 'caes potencialmente perigosos'; Decreto-Lei 315/2009 (as amended by DL 9/2021) requires an annual licence from the junta de freguesia (owner over 16, criminal record, training course, liability insurance of at least 50,000 EUR, sterilisation unless LOP-registered), muzzle and leash of max 1 m in public, secure 2 m enclosure and warning signs. | official |
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| Croatia | Permit requiredPedigree bull-type terriers (HKS/FCI) are allowed only from controlled breeding, with owner conditions and a socialisation test (art. 8). | official |
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| Iceland | Import bannedMAST (Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority) does not permit import of these breeds, their crosses for 5 generations, wolf hybrids for 10 generations, or other dogs of comparable origin, physique or temperament. | official |
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| Ukraine | Insurance requiredCabinet of Ministers resolution 'Deiaki pytannia shchodo nebezpechnykh porid sobak' (10 Nov 2021) lists 51 breeds and their mixes as dangerous: owners must hold compulsory liability insurance when registering, and use a leash and muzzle where the dog may endanger people. | official |
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| Canada, Ontario | BannedDog Owners' Liability Act (Bill 132, in force 29 Aug 2005): no new pit bulls may be owned, bred, imported or transferred; grandfathered 'restricted pit bulls' must be sterilised, muzzled and on a leash of max 1.8 m off the owner's property (O. Reg. 157/05). | source |
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| Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba | BannedResponsible Pet Ownership By-law: pit bulls may not be brought into the City of Winnipeg (city council voted to keep the ban in 2022). | official |
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| South Korea | Permit requiredAnimal Protection Act (amended, in force 27 April 2024): 'maenggyeon' owners need a permit from the provincial governor after a temperament assessment, with registration, neutering and liability insurance; existing owners had until 26 Oct 2024. | source |
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| South Korea | Muzzle and leash requiredOutside, these dogs must wear a muzzle and a leash of max 2 m; in shared indoor spaces the owner must hold the dog or its collar. | source |
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| Singapore | Import bannedAVS: Part 1 specified dogs (except those already licensed) are not allowed into Singapore for sale, visit or stay. | official |
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| Singapore | Insurance requiredPart 1 licensing conditions: leashed and muzzled in public, sterilised over 6 months, insurance of at least 100,000 SGD, 5,000 SGD banker's guarantee, obedience training. | official |
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| United Arab Emirates | BannedFederal Law 22/2016 on dangerous animals, Annex 2 'List of Dangerous Dogs': possession, trade, breeding and import banned except by licence for service or medical purposes; a Nov 2021 ministerial decision updated the list to pit bull types, mastiffs, Tosa and Presa Canario, so the status of Rottweiler, Doberman and Boxer should be treated as uncertain. | official |
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| Argentina, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires | Insurance requiredLey 4078 CABA: registration before 3 months of age, muzzle and non-extensible leash of max 2 m in public, liability insurance, secure enclosure; abandonment is a serious offence. | official |
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| Israel | RestrictedRegulations for the Supervision of Dogs (Import and Keeping of Dangerous Dogs) 5765-2004: import prohibited, owners and handlers must be over 18, dogs over 6 months sterilised, muzzle and leash of max 2 m outside the premises, fenced yard with warning sign, no dog parks, transfer only to approved recipients. | source |
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| Malaysia | Import bannedDepartment of Veterinary Services Malaysia: these breeds and their crosses are banned from import (as published on the Australian government MICoR page for Malaysia). | official |
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| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Permit requiredBull-type dogs from controlled breeding (Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, bull terrier, mini bull terrier) need a pedigree from the Kennel Club of BiH (KS BiH) or a kennel club of an FCI member country and must pass the socialisation test (Art. 8(1) and (2)). Bull-type dogs without such a pedigree count as pit bull terriers and fall under the dangerous dog rules (Art. 8(4)). | official |
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| Malta | BannedSince 13 December 2024 it is illegal to breed, advertise or sell non-pedigree bully-type dogs of these breeds or their crosses, or to keep ones born after that date. Pedigree dogs with recognised kennel club registration are allowed, and existing non-pedigree dogs may be kept if they were microchipped and registered before 13 December 2024. Dogs brought from another EU country that the keeper has had for at least six months are exempt if registered within 30 days of entry. | official |
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Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
Miniature Bull Terrier
Boston Terrier
American Pit Bull Terrier