Tracker · Updated October 2026
Breed-specific legislation by state: which US states ban local pit bull bans, when each law passed, and which city bans have been repealed
Twenty-two states have a state law that limits breed-specific dog rules by cities and counties. Ten of them block breed rules of any kind, and 12 bar breed-based dangerous dog rules. The other 28 states leave the choice to local governments, and big bans in Denver (2020), Miami-Dade (2023) and Prince George's County, Maryland (2025) have now ended. We found no new state limit passed in 2025 or 2026.
Key findings
- Twenty-two states have a state law that limits breed-specific legislation (BSL) by local governments, according to Best Friends Animal Society and Michigan State University.
- Ten states bar local breed rules of any kind, while 12 only stop cities from declaring a dog dangerous because of its breed.
- Nine of the 22 laws passed between 2012 and 2019, starting with Massachusetts in 2012 and ending with Washington in 2019.
- Ten laws date from 1988 to 1994, led by South Carolina, California, Minnesota and New Jersey; we could not confirm the year for New York.
- Denver voters ended the city's 1989 pit bull ban in November 2020, with 64.5% voting yes on Measure 2J.
- Florida removed the exemption that protected Miami-Dade's 1989 ban, and the ban ended on October 1, 2023, after 34 years.
- Prince George's County, Maryland, passed Council Bill 97-2025 in November 2025, ending a ban in place since 1996.
- Missouri has no state limit. A 2026 Missouri Law Review article counts at least 34 Missouri cities with breed rules, and a 2024 ASPCA study says over 70 have enacted them.
- Seven states, including Colorado (2024), Illinois (2023) and Minnesota (2023), limit breed-based decisions by home insurers, according to a 2024 National Canine Research Council flyer.
- We found no state that passed a new limit on local breed rules in the 2025 or 2026 sessions. Colorado widened its insurance breed rule in 2025.
Which states ban breed-specific legislation?
Twenty-two states have a law that stops or limits local breed-specific legislation. Best Friends Animal Society lists all 22, and Michigan State University's Animal Legal & Historical Center counts "approximately 22" in its 2022 overview.
The list runs from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois and Maine to Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey and New York. It also includes Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
The other 28 states have no such law on these lists. In those states a city or county can still ban or restrict a breed, usually pit bull-type dogs, unless its own charter or courts say otherwise. The District of Columbia is on neither list. Its dangerous dog chapter, D.C. Code Title 8, chapter 19, defines dangerous dogs by behavior and does not mention breed.
We found no state that passed a new limit in the 2025 or 2026 sessions. The American Kennel Club's 2026 state updates list breed bills only on insurance and housing, in Hawaii and Pennsylvania, and none had passed by April.
| State | State law on local breed rules | Year passed | Statute or local note | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Alaska | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Arizona | Preempts local breed rules | 2016 | A.R.S. 9-499.04(C); 11-1005 | Yes |
| Arkansas | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| California | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 1989 (chapter enacted); breed-specific spay and neuter allowed since 2006 | Food & Agric. Code 31683; Health & Safety Code 122331 | Yes |
| Colorado | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 2004 | C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(5); home-rule Denver and Aurora kept bans until 2020 and 2024 | Yes |
| Connecticut | Preempts local breed rules | 2013 | C.G.S. 7-148(c)(7)(D) | Yes |
| Delaware | Preempts local breed rules | 2017 | 22 Del.C. 116; 11 Del.C. 1327 | Yes |
| District of Columbia | Not on either list | n/a | D.C. Code Title 8, ch. 19 defines dangerous dogs by behavior; no breed rule | Code text checked |
| Florida | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 1990; pre-1990 exemption removed 2023 | Fla. Stat. 767.14 | Yes |
| Georgia | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Hawaii | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Idaho | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Illinois | Preempts local breed rules | 2003 (all dog rules clause) | 510 ILCS 5/15; 5/24 | Yes |
| Indiana | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Iowa | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Sioux City repealed its ban in 2019; Council Bluffs voted 4-1 to keep its 2005 ban in June 2026 | Status per compilations |
| Kansas | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Kentucky | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Louisiana | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Maine | Preempts local breed rules | 1992 (breed clause added by P.L. 1991, c. 779) | 7 M.R.S. 3950 | Yes |
| Maryland | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Prince George's County repealed its ban in November 2025 | Status per compilations |
| Massachusetts | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 2012 | M.G.L. c. 140, 157 | Yes |
| Michigan | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Minnesota | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 1989 | Minn. Stat. 347.51, subd. 8 | Yes |
| Mississippi | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Missouri | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | At least 34 cities have breed rules (2026); over 70 have enacted them (ASPCA, 2024); Independence repealed its ban in 2023 | Status per compilations |
| Montana | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Nebraska | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Nevada | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 2013 | NRS 202.500 | Yes |
| New Hampshire | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| New Jersey | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 1989 | N.J.S.A. 4:19-36 | Yes |
| New Mexico | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| New York | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | Unconfirmed (in force by 2003) | Agric. & Markets Law 107(5) | Year unconfirmed |
| North Carolina | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| North Dakota | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Minot repealed its ban in 2022 | Status per compilations |
| Ohio | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Pit bulls dropped from the state vicious dog definition in 2012; local bans not preempted | Status per compilations |
| Oklahoma | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 1991 | 4 O.S. 46(B) | Yes |
| Oregon | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Pennsylvania | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 1990 | 3 P.S. 459-507-A(c) | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Preempts local breed rules | 2013 | R.I. Gen. Laws 4-13-43; 4-13.1-16 | Yes |
| South Carolina | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 1988 (section enacted) | S.C. Code 47-3-710(C) | Yes |
| South Dakota | Preempts local breed rules | 2014 | SDCL 40-34-16 | Yes |
| Tennessee | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Texas | Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules | 1991 | Health & Safety Code 822.047 | Yes |
| Utah | Preempts local breed rules | 2014 | Utah Code 18-2-101 | Yes |
| Vermont | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Virginia | Preempts local breed rules | 1993 or 1994 (in the March 1994 text) | Va. Code 3.2-6540.1(C); 3.2-6540(K) | Yes (in force by 1994) |
| Washington | Preempts local breed rules | 2019 (conditional; effective January 1, 2020) | RCW 16.08.110 | Yes |
| West Virginia | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Wisconsin | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
| Wyoming | No statewide preemption listed | n/a | Local breed rules allowed | Status per compilations |
Statute citations come from the state code pages and the two compilations. Where a status says "Status per compilations," we relied on the absence of a law from both the Best Friends and Michigan State lists.
When each state law passed
The laws came in two waves. Ten passed between 1988 and 1994, mostly inside new statewide dangerous dog acts. Illinois (2003) and Colorado (2004) came next, and a second wave of 9 laws passed between 2012 and 2019.
Massachusetts started the second wave in 2012. Nevada, Connecticut and Rhode Island followed in 2013, then South Dakota and Utah in 2014, Arizona in 2016, Delaware in 2017 and Washington in 2019.
Maine's local rules section dates to 1987, but the 1987 text had no breed clause. Public Law 1991, chapter 779, added it, and that law took effect on March 31, 1992.
Illinois added its clause covering all dog rules in Public Act 93-548, effective August 19, 2003. Its ban on calling a dog vicious because of breed is older.
Virginia's limit is older than its 2013 vicious dog section. The ban on local breed ownership rules already appears in the dangerous dog section as amended on March 28, 1994, a section first enacted in 1993.
For New York we could not open the session law that added the breed clause. A 2008 court decision says a village pit bull ban was struck down under it in 2003. DogsBite.org, a group that supports breed laws, dates it to 1997.
Year the breed clause was enacted, from state code history notes, session laws and news reports. Virginia's clause is in the March 1994 text of a 1993 section. New York has no confirmed year.
Show the numbers
| Label | laws |
|---|---|
| 1988 | 1 |
| 1989 | 3 |
| 1990 | 2 |
| 1991 | 2 |
| 1992 | 1 |
| 1993/94 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| Unconfirmed | 1 |
Embed this chart
| State | Scope | Year | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | Dangerous dog rules | 1988 (section enacted) | S.C. Code 47-3-710(C) |
| California | Dangerous dog rules | 1989 (chapter enacted); breed-specific spay and neuter allowed since 2006 | Food & Agric. Code 31683; Health & Safety Code 122331 |
| Minnesota | Dangerous dog rules | 1989 | Minn. Stat. 347.51, subd. 8 |
| New Jersey | Dangerous dog rules | 1989 | N.J.S.A. 4:19-36 |
| Florida | Dangerous dog rules | 1990; pre-1990 exemption removed 2023 | Fla. Stat. 767.14 |
| Pennsylvania | Dangerous dog rules | 1990 | 3 P.S. 459-507-A(c) |
| Oklahoma | Dangerous dog rules | 1991 | 4 O.S. 46(B) |
| Texas | Dangerous dog rules | 1991 | Health & Safety Code 822.047 |
| Maine | All dog rules | 1992 (section created 1987) | 7 M.R.S. 3950 |
| Virginia | All dog rules | 1993 or 1994 (current vicious dog section 2013) | Va. Code 3.2-6540.1(C); 3.2-6540(K) |
| Illinois | All dog rules | 2003 | 510 ILCS 5/15; 5/24 |
| Colorado | Dangerous dog rules | 2004 | C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(5) |
| Massachusetts | Dangerous dog rules | 2012 | M.G.L. c. 140, 157 |
| Connecticut | All dog rules | 2013 | C.G.S. 7-148(c)(7)(D) |
| Nevada | Dangerous dog rules | 2013 | NRS 202.500 |
| Rhode Island | All dog rules | 2013 | R.I. Gen. Laws 4-13-43; 4-13.1-16 |
| South Dakota | All dog rules | 2014 | SDCL 40-34-16 |
| Utah | All dog rules | 2014 | Utah Code 18-2-101 |
| Arizona | All dog rules | 2016 | A.R.S. 9-499.04(C); 11-1005 |
| Delaware | All dog rules | 2017 | 22 Del.C. 116; 11 Del.C. 1327 |
| Washington | All dog rules | 2019 (conditional) | RCW 16.08.110 |
| New York | Dangerous dog rules | Unconfirmed (in force by 2003) | Agric. & Markets Law 107(5) |
Two kinds of state limits, and the loopholes
Michigan State University sorts the laws into two groups. Ten states bar breed-based rules in all local animal regulation. The other 12 only stop a local government from regulating or declaring dangerous dogs by breed.
Pennsylvania's law goes further than its label. A local dog ordinance "may not prohibit or otherwise limit a specific breed of dog," the statute says. New Jersey's 1989 act also overrides local rules on "any specific breed of dog."
Several laws carry carve-outs. Washington lets a city keep breed rules if dogs that pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen test, or an equivalent, are exempt for at least two years. That law took effect on January 1, 2020.
California has allowed breed-specific spay and neuter and breeding rules since January 1, 2006. Cities using them must send quarterly dog bite figures to the State Public Health Veterinarian. San Francisco adopted a pit bull spay and neuter ordinance shortly before January 2006.
Classification follows the Michigan State University Animal Legal & Historical Center overview (2022).
Show the numbers
| Label | states |
|---|---|
| Bars breed-based dangerous dog rules only | 12 |
| Bars local breed rules of any kind | 10 |
Embed this chart
| State | What happened | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | A Denver judge ruled the 2004 law did not override home-rule Denver; the state dropped its appeal | 2004 |
| Florida | Ordinances adopted before October 1, 1990 were exempt until SB 942 removed the exemption | 1990 to 2023 |
| California | Cities may adopt breed-specific spay, neuter and breeding rules | 2006 |
| Washington | Breed rules allowed only with a Canine Good Citizen exemption of at least two years | 2019 |
| Ohio | Pit bulls removed from the state vicious dog definition; no local preemption | 2012 |
Ohio is a different case. For about 25 years, state law labeled pit bull-type dogs vicious. House Bill 14, signed on February 21, 2012, dropped that label, but it did not stop Ohio cities from keeping their own bans.
Which cities have repealed pit bull bans?
The largest US breed bans have ended since 2019. Denver, Miami-Dade County and Prince George's County each kept a pit bull ban for roughly three decades.
Denver's ban began in 1989. The city council voted 7-4 to repeal it in February 2020, the mayor vetoed the repeal, and voters approved Measure 2J that November with 64.5%.
Denver now uses a breed-restricted permit instead. Owners may keep at most two pit bulls, pay $30 a year for the permit and renew for three years without violations.
Miami-Dade voters had kept their 1989 ban in August 2012, with 63.29% voting to keep it. Florida's SB 942 was approved on June 16, 2023, and the ban ended on October 1, 2023.
Start and end years from Denver7, CBS Miami, WLRN, FOX 5 DC, National Canine Research Council and Iowa Public Radio. Years are calendar differences. Sources differ on the Prince George's start year.
Show the numbers
| Label | years |
|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County, FL (1989 to 2023) | 34 years |
| Denver, CO (1989 to 2020) | 31 years |
| Prince George's County, MD (1996 to 2025) | 29 years |
| Sioux City, IA (2008 to 2019) | 11 years |
Embed this chart
| Place | Ban began | What happened | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | 1989 | Voters approved Measure 2J (64.5% yes); permit system replaced the ban | November 2020 |
| Aurora, CO | 2005 | Council repealed the ban 7-3 in 2021; a judge later ruled a change needed a citizen vote; 56% of voters backed ending it in November 2024 | January 2021 (council); November 2024 (voters) |
| Miami-Dade County, FL | 1989 | State law SB 942 (ch. 2023-253) voided the ban | October 1, 2023 |
| Independence, MO | Not confirmed | Council repealed the ban after a petition drive | Vote June 5, 2023; effective August 4, 2023 |
| Prince George's County, MD | 1996 (NCRC); covers dogs born after February 3, 1997 (Maryland fiscal note); FOX 5 calls it 27 years old | Council Bill 97-2025 lifted the ban with a permit and pilot adoption program | November 18, 2025 |
| Sioux City, IA | 2008 | Council repealed the ban 4-1 | November 2019 |
| Minot, ND | Not confirmed | Council repealed breed language 4-3 | September 2022 |
| Springfield, MO | Not confirmed | Ban repealed; pit bulls must still be registered with the city | 2018 |
| Council Bluffs, IA | 2005 | Council voted 4-1 to keep its ban | June 2026 |
Prince George's County passed its repeal on November 18, 2025. Owners of formerly banned dogs must get a permit, pay a fee, take a class, and microchip and spay or neuter the dog.
Breed bans mostly target pit bull-type dogs, which do not appear as a single breed in the AKC popularity rankings. Housing and breed rules also affect shelter adoptions.
Where breed bans still stand
No national registry tracks local breed laws. A 2026 Missouri Law Review article cites an AKC figure that, by 2014, as many as 26 counties and 860 municipalities had some form of BSL.
Missouri shows how much is left. The same article counts at least 34 Missouri municipalities with breed restrictions or bans, and statewide preemption bills, including HB 296 in 2023, have failed.
Bans also survive repeal attempts. In June 2026 the Council Bluffs, Iowa, city council voted 4-1 to keep a pit bull ban in place since 2005, though the mayor favored repeal.
Counts differ because they measure different things. A 2024 ASPCA study in Frontiers in Public Health says over 70 Missouri municipalities have enacted breed laws, and at least a dozen have repealed them since 2018.
The study compared 2010 to 2015 emergency visits for dog bites in 142 Missouri zip codes. It found no link between breed laws and bite visit rates.
- Missouri: at least 34 municipalities with breed rules (Missouri Law Review, March 2026); no state preemption.
- Iowa: Council Bluffs kept its 2005 ban in June 2026; Sioux City repealed its 2008 ban in 2019.
- Ohio: state law stopped labeling pit bulls vicious in 2012, but local bans were not preempted.
- Colorado: a 2004 state law exists, but home-rule Denver kept its ban until 2020. Aurora's council repealed its 2005 ban in 2021, and voters backed ending it in November 2024.
| Group | Zip codes | Mean emergency visits for dog bites per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| With a breed law | 48 | 104.2 |
| Without a breed law | 94 | 98.9 |
| All zip codes studied | 142 | 100.7 |
The gap of about 5 visits per 100,000 was not statistically significant (p = 0.39). The authors work for the ASPCA, which opposes breed laws.
Insurance and rental breed restrictions (context)
This section is context, not a count of BSL. State preemption laws bind cities and counties. They usually do not bind insurers, private landlords or homeowners associations.
Seven states limit breed-based decisions by home insurers, according to a 2024 flyer from the National Canine Research Council, an advocacy research group. The flyer lists an eighth, Massachusetts, which only requires insurers to report dog incident data. Pennsylvania's 1990 dog law says no liability policy or surety bond may prohibit coverage of a specific breed.
Minnesota added a ban on refusing or canceling a homeowner's policy solely because of breed in 2023. Colorado's rule took effect on January 1, 2024, and Illinois' on December 9, 2023. Colorado's HB25-1207, signed on May 22, 2025, extended its rule to any home occupied by an owner or renter.
Rental housing is a different story. When Florida voided Miami-Dade's ban, WLRN reported the law did not apply to private landlords, homeowners associations or insurers. Florida's statute now covers public housing authority policies.
| State | Law | Year or effective date | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 3 P.S. 459-507-A(d) | 1990 | No liability policy or surety bond may prohibit coverage of a specific breed |
| Minnesota | Minn. Stat. 65A.303 | 2023 | No refusal, nonrenewal or cancellation based solely on breed |
| Illinois | 215 ILCS 5/143.10e | Effective December 9, 2023 | No refusal, cancellation or rate increase based solely on breed |
| Colorado | C.R.S. 10-4-110.8(16) | Effective January 1, 2024; widened by HB25-1207 (signed May 22, 2025) | No refusal, cancellation, nonrenewal or premium increase based on breed; since 2025 covers any owner- or renter-occupied home |
| New York | Insurance Law 3421 | Not confirmed | No refusal, cancellation or higher premium based solely on breed |
| Nevada | NRS chapter 687B | Not confirmed | No refusal, cancellation or higher premium based solely on breed |
| Arizona | A.R.S. 20-1510 | Not confirmed | Breed alone may not be considered in homeowners or renters applications |
Insurers can still act on an individual dog. Minnesota, Colorado and New York let an insurer refuse, cancel or raise the price of a policy when a particular dog is known or declared to be dangerous. For claim costs, see our dog bite statistics and pet insurance statistics.
Frequently asked questions
How many states ban breed-specific legislation?
Twenty-two states have a law that limits breed-specific legislation by cities and counties. Ten bar local breed rules of any kind, and 12 bar breed-based dangerous dog rules. The other 28 states have no statewide limit on these lists.
Is Florida a state that bans pit bull bans?
Yes. Florida's 1990 dangerous dog law barred breed-specific local rules but exempted ordinances adopted before October 1, 1990. SB 942 removed that exemption in 2023, which ended Miami-Dade's 1989 ban on October 1, 2023.
Are pit bulls legal in Denver now?
Yes, with a breed-restricted permit. Denver voters ended the 1989 ban in November 2020, with 64.5% voting yes. Owners may keep up to two pit bulls and renew a $30 permit each year for three years.
Which state passed the most recent law against breed bans?
Washington, in 2019. Its law lets a city keep breed rules only if dogs that pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen test or an equivalent are exempt for at least two years. Delaware passed its law in 2017 and Arizona in 2016. We found no newer state law through the 2026 sessions.
Does Missouri allow pit bull bans?
Yes. Missouri has no statewide preemption law, and bills such as HB 296 in 2023 failed. A March 2026 Missouri Law Review article counts at least 34 Missouri municipalities with breed restrictions or bans.
Can a landlord or HOA still ban pit bulls in a state that bans BSL?
Usually yes. State preemption laws limit cities and counties, not private landlords or homeowners associations. When Florida ended Miami-Dade's ban in 2023, private landlords, HOAs and insurers were not covered.
Can home insurers refuse a policy because of my dog's breed?
It depends on the state. Seven states, including Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Illinois and Colorado, limit breed-based decisions. Insurers in states such as Minnesota, Colorado and New York can still act on a particular dog declared dangerous.
When did Prince George's County end its pit bull ban?
The council passed Council Bill 97-2025 on November 18, 2025. The ban had been in place since 1996. Owners of formerly banned dogs now need a permit, a class, a microchip and spay or neuter surgery.
Methodology and limitations
We started from two compilations: the Best Friends Animal Society list of anti-BSL state laws and the Michigan State University Animal Legal & Historical Center overview (2022). A state counts as limiting BSL if it appears on both.
For each state we opened the statute on the state legislature site where the site was reachable. We took the enactment year from the history note or the session law. Where a state site blocked us, we used dated news reports or legal compilations and named them.
A year is marked unconfirmed when no source we opened dated the breed clause itself. Where a session law shows the clause as new text, we used that year. Ban durations are calendar-year differences between the start and end years reported by named sources.
To check for new laws, we read the American Kennel Club's 2026 state legislative updates, the March 2026 Missouri Law Review article and news reports through October 2026.
Sources
- Michigan State University College of Law, Animal Legal & Historical Center: Overview of States that Prohibit Breed-Specific Legislation by State Law (2022), "Approximately 22" states; 10 bar all breed rules, 16 bar breed-based dangerous dog rules; statute text
- Florida Statutes 767.14, Florida Legislature, Breed, weight and size rule; history ch. 90-180 (1990) and ch. 2023-253
- Revised Code of Washington 16.08.110, Washington State Legislature, 2019 law (2019 c 199) and Canine Good Citizen exemption
- Also consulted: Best Friends Animal Society: Anti-Dog Breed-Specific Legislation by State, Florida Senate: SB 942 (2023), Texas Health and Safety Code 822.047, California Food and Agricultural Code 31683 and Health and Safety Code 122331, Laws of Minnesota 1989, chapter 37, Minnesota Statutes 65A.303, Colorado Revised Statutes 10-4-110.8(16) and 18-9-204.5, Oklahoma Statutes Title 4, section 46, Delaware Code Title 22, section 116, South Dakota Codified Laws 40-34-16, Code of Virginia 3.2-6540.1 and 3.2-6540, Maine Revised Statutes Title 7, section 3950, South Carolina Code 47-3-710, Arizona Revised Statutes 9-499.04 and 11-1005, New York Agriculture and Markets Law 107, Animal Legal & Historical Center: 3 P.S. 459-507-A, Animal Legal & Historical Center: N.J.S.A. 4:19-36, National Canine Research Council: Connecticut joins state ranks preempting breed-specific laws (June 10, 2013), National Canine Research Council: Rhode Island (July 18, 2013), American Kennel Club: Delaware becomes 19th state to ban BSL, Best Friends Animal Society: Utah governor signs HB 97 (April 2, 2014), Denver7: Denver voters pass Measure 2J, City and County of Denver: Breed-Restricted Permits, NBC Miami: 2012 Miami-Dade referendum, WLRN: Miami-Dade pit bull ban (July 11, 2023), FOX 5 DC: Prince George's County ends ban (November 18, 2025), National Canine Research Council: Resources for Ending BSL, CBS Colorado: Aurora repeals ban (January 11, 2021), City of Independence, Missouri (June 5, 2023), Iowa Public Radio: Sioux City scraps ban (November 26, 2019), KFYR: Minot repeals ban (September 2022), Missouri Law Review: Barking Up the Wrong Tree (March 23, 2026), Toledo Blade: Ohio vicious dog law change (May 23, 2012), JAVMA News (AVMA): California allows cities to adopt dog breed-specific legislation (2006), National Canine Research Council and Animal Farm Foundation: insurance legislation flyer (2024), Laws of Maine 1991, Public Law chapter 779, section 40, Illinois Public Act 93-548 (HB 184), Acts of Virginia 1994, chapter 115, Connecticut General Statutes chapter 98, section 7-148, Rhode Island General Laws 4-13-43, Wyker B and Gupta M (2024), Frontiers in Public Health: dog bite emergency visits in Missouri municipalities with and without BSL, Denver7: Aurora City Council taking final steps to remove pit bull ban, KMA Land: Council Bluffs council votes to keep ban on pit bull breeds (June 15, 2026), Maryland Department of Legislative Services: fiscal note, HB 567 (2001), Colorado General Assembly: HB25-1207, American Kennel Club: State Updates April 2026, Animal Legal & Historical Center: People v. Beauvil (2008), Colorado Revised Statutes 18-9-204.5 via colorado.public.law, Michigan State University Animal Legal & Historical Center, Brief Summary of Breed Specific Laws (2008), CBS News Miami (September 29, 2023), Maine Legislature LD 1309 (2005), Wayback Machine copies of Virginia Code 3.1-796.93:1 (2000 to 2007) and Illinois Public Act 93-548, Animal Legal & Historical Center: People v. Beauvil (N.Y. Justice Ct. 2008) and New York consolidated dog laws, DogsBite.org state preemption map (a group that supports breed laws), reviewed June 2026, Denver Gazette (December 3, 2024) on Aurora.
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