| United Kingdom, England and Wales | InterditDangerous Dogs Act 1991 bans owning, breeding, selling, giving away or abandoning these types (judged on appearance, not pedigree); XL Bully added 31 Dec 2023, ownership offence from 1 Feb 2024; existing dogs may be kept only with a Certificate of Exemption. | officielle |
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| United Kingdom, England and Wales | Muselière et laisse obligatoiresExempted dogs must be muzzled and on a lead in public, neutered, microchipped and kept securely; third-party insurance was required until 30 June 2026 and is no longer required from 1 July 2026. | officielle |
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| United Kingdom, Scotland | InterditSame banned types as England; XL Bully safeguards from 23 Feb 2024 (lead and muzzle in public, no breeding, selling, rehoming) and ownership without a Certificate of Exemption an offence from 1 Aug 2024 (application deadline 31 July 2024). | officielle |
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| United Kingdom, Northern Ireland | InterditDogs (NI) Order 1983 bans Pit Bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and, from 1 Jan 2025, XL Bully; exempted dogs need a council exemption certificate plus annual licence, muzzle and lead in public, neutering, and third-party insurance up to 30 June 2026. | officielle |
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| Ireland | Muselière et laisse obligatoiresControl 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. | officielle |
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| Germany | Importation interditeFederal 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. | officielle |
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| Germany, Baden-Württemberg | RestreintPolVOgH 2000: Kampfhunde list 1, dangerousness presumed; keeping needs a permit, muzzle and leash in public, unless a Wesenstest (temperament test) rebuts the presumption. | source |
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| Germany, Bayern | RestreintKategorie 1 of the Bavarian Kampfhundeverordnung: fighting-dog status is irrebuttably presumed; keeping requires a permit from the municipality, granted only for a special interest. | officielle |
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| Germany, Berlin | RestreintHundegesetz Berlin 2016: Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Bull Terrier and their crosses count as dangerous. Keeping one must be reported to the veterinary office without delay, breeding them is banned, and outside a secure property they need a bite-proof muzzle from seven months of age and a leash at all times. | source |
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| Germany, Bremen | InterditBremHundeG 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 | RestreintHamburgisches Hundegesetz: these four breeds are irrebuttably dangerous; keeping needs a permit, muzzle and leash in public. | officielle |
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| Germany, Hessen | RestreintHundeVO 2003 (amended 2022): one list of presumed dangerous breeds; keeping needs a permit, Wesenstest, Sachkunde, liability insurance, muzzle and leash. | officielle |
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| Germany, Nordrhein-Westfalen | RestreintLHundG NRW §3 gefährliche Hunde: permit, Sachkunde before the official vet, criminal record check, liability insurance, microchip, leash and muzzle outside fenced property. | officielle |
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| Germany, Rheinland-Pfalz | RestreintLHundG RP 2004: keeping needs a permit (Sachkunde, reliability, insurance), muzzle and leash in public. | source |
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| Germany, Saarland | RestreintSaarland dog ordinance (HuV SL 2022): presumed dangerous, rebuttable by a temperament test; permit, muzzle and leash otherwise. | source |
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| Germany, Sachsen | RestreintGefHundG Sachsen 2000: presumed dangerous, rebuttable by official behavioural assessment; permit, muzzle and leash otherwise. | source |
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| Germany, Sachsen-Anhalt | RestreintHundeG 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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| Denmark | InterditHundeloven §1a: possession and breeding of these 13 breeds and any cross containing them is prohibited (since 2010); commercial import is banned. | source |
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| Denmark | Importation interditeHundeloven §1a stk. 3: commercial import of the listed dogs and their crosses is prohibited; consolidated act LBK nr 329 af 02/03/2021. | officielle |
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| Norway | InterditHundeforskriften under the Hundeloven: owning, breeding and importing these six breeds (and any cross containing them) is illegal; police may order a dog of doubtful breed destroyed or exported. | officielle |
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| Lithuania | RestreintVMVT order B1-5 of 9 Jan 2013 (under the Animal Welfare and Protection Law) lists the American pit bull terrier as a fighting breed: municipal permit to keep in apartment buildings, muzzle and short leash in public, breeding only with pedigree. | source |
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| Poland | Permis obligatoireRozporzadzenie MSWiA of 28 April 2003 (Dz.U. 2003 nr 77 poz. 687) under art. 10 of the Animal Protection Act: keeping or breeding these 11 breeds requires a permit from the municipality; the permit is refused or withdrawn if the dog is kept in a way that endangers people or animals. | officielle |
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| Switzerland, Zürich | InterditHundeverordnung §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. | officielle |
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| Switzerland, Genève | InterditLChiens Art. 23 and RChiens Art. 17 (15 'chiens listés' and their crosses): these dogs are banned in the canton. Dogs already kept when their breed was listed may stay only with a keeping authorisation, and owners of newly listed dogs must apply within 12 months of the listing; listed dogs must pass a behaviour test (RChiens Art. 16). | officielle |
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| Switzerland, Valais | InterditConseil 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, Vaud | Permis obligatoireRLPolC art. 2 and 9-11: 'chiens potentiellement dangereux' need a cantonal keeping authorisation (adult, insurance, clean record), a behaviour test (TCOM) once the dog is 12 months old, and 72 hours of dog education courses over at most two years, starting within 45 days of the test (may be shortened after a good test). | officielle |
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| Switzerland, Ticino | Permis obligatoireRegolamento 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 | Permis obligatoirePermit (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 | Permis obligatoireWiener 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. | officielle |
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| Austria, Niederösterreich | RestreintNOe 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. | officielle |
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| Austria, Oberösterreich | RestreintOOe 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 | Permis obligatoireVorarlberg: 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 | Permis obligatoireReal 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. | officielle |
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| Portugal | Permis obligatoirePortaria 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. | officielle |
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| Iceland | Importation interditeMAST (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. | officielle |
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| Turkey | InterditLaw 7332 (in force 14 July 2021) amending Animal Protection Law 5199 bans producing, owning, adopting, housing, trading, displaying or advertising dangerous animals. The breeds are named in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry circular of 7 December 2021: American Pitbull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, American Staffordshire Terrier and American Bully. Dogs owned before 14 July 2021 could be kept if neutered, microchipped and registered in PETVET by 14 January 2022, and must be muzzled and leashed and kept out of crowded places, playgrounds and parks (2026 fine 95,590 TL). | source |
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| Ukraine | Assurance obligatoireCabinet 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. | officielle |
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| Canada, Ontario | InterditDog 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 | InterditResponsible Pet Ownership By-law: pit bulls may not be brought into the City of Winnipeg (city council voted to keep the ban in 2022). | officielle |
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| Australia | Importation interditeCustoms (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956: import of these five breeds into Australia is prohibited. | officielle |
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| Australia, Queensland | InterditAnimal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 as amended in 2024: from 28 August 2024 these 5 breeds are prohibited from being owned unless the owner has a reasonable excuse. Dog attack offences carry penalties of up to $120,890. | officielle |
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| Australia, Victoria | RestreintDomestic Animals Act 1994 (Restricted Breed Dogs amendment 2017): restricted breed dogs must be registered, desexed, microchipped, wear a prescribed collar, be muzzled and leashed off the premises, with a prescribed enclosure and warning signs. | officielle |
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| Australia, New South Wales | RestreintCompanion Animals Act 1998 s55: restricted dogs (the four named breeds, any breed whose import is prohibited under Commonwealth customs law, and any dog a council declares restricted) must be microchipped, registered, desexed, held under an annual permit, kept in a compliant enclosure, muzzled and on a secure lead outside it, wear the prescribed collar, never be in the sole charge of a person under 18, and must not be bred, sold or given away. | officielle |
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| Australia, South Australia | RestreintDog and Cat Management Act 1995: 'prescribed breeds' must be desexed, muzzled, confined to the owner's property and on a lead of no more than 2 metres elsewhere, and must not be sold, given away or advertised. The council page spells two names 'Fila Braziliero' and 'Dogo Argentina'; standard spellings used here. | officielle |
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| Australia, Tasmania | RestreintDog Control Act 2000: a declared restricted breed dog must be desexed and microchipped within 28 days of the declaration, kept securely confined at home with warning signs and an approved collar, and in public be muzzled, on a lead of no more than 2 metres, and handled by someone aged 18 or over. A buyer needs council approval before taking ownership. | officielle |
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| Australia, Western Australia | RestreintDog Act 1976 (restricted breed provisions moved from regulations into the Act): restricted breeds are dangerous dogs and need a prescribed red and yellow collar, a childproof escape-proof enclosure, warning signs, and a muzzle and lead of no more than 2 metres held by an adult outside the enclosure. | officielle |
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| South Korea | Permis obligatoireAnimal 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 | Muselière et laisse obligatoiresOutside, 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 | Importation interditeAVS: Part 1 specified dogs (except those already licensed) are not allowed into Singapore for sale, visit or stay. | officielle |
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| Singapore | Assurance obligatoirePart 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. | officielle |
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| United Arab Emirates | InterditFederal 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. | officielle |
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| Brazil, São Paulo (state) | Muselière et laisse obligatoiresLei 11.531/2003: listed breeds must be walked with collar and leash, with short leash, choke collar and muzzle for breeds named in the regulation; owners must prevent escape. | officielle |
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| Brazil, Rio de Janeiro (state) | RestreintLei 4.597/2005 requires sterilisation of all pit bulls from 6 months and restricts where 'animais ferozes' may go. | source |
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| Argentina, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires | Assurance obligatoireLey 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. | officielle |
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| Israel | RestreintRegulations 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 | Importation interditeDepartment of Veterinary Services Malaysia: these breeds and their crosses are banned from import (as published on the Australian government MICoR page for Malaysia). | officielle |
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| Belarus | RestreintAnnex to Ministry of Agriculture and Food Resolution No. 40 of 12 Dec 2001 lists 40 potentially dangerous breeds (Russian names as in the FAOLEX copy, English in brackets). Importing them needs permission from the Main Veterinary Directorate, and owners must complete a special course at a dog club within three months. The Law of 1 April 2024 No. 361-Z on responsible treatment of animals replaced the term with 'dogs requiring special owner responsibility'; a new list is in a draft Council of Ministers resolution not yet adopted as of Aug 2026, so the status of the 2001 list is uncertain. | officielle |
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| Moldova | InterditANSA says Law No. 256/2025 bans breeding and reproduction of these 11 'potentially dangerous' breeds from September 2027 and sets strict rules for owners. | officielle |
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| Malta | InterditSince 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. | officielle |
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American Staffordshire Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
American Bully