Arvada, CO Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Arvada City Code § 14-51
- Basis
- conduct-based, not breed-specific
- State law
- C.R.S. § 18-9-204.5 bars breed bans
- Officer power
- immediate destruction without notice if necessary
- Max fine
- $2,650.00 (§ 1-5)
- Possible sanctions
- mandatory $100,000 liability insurance, spay/neuter
Summary
Arvada declares a dog or other animal "dangerous" by conduct, not breed: causing bodily injury, menacing a person, killing another animal off its owner's property, or attacking someone lawfully on the owner's property. City Code Section 14-51 lets an animal management officer destroy a dangerous animal immediately, without notice, if needed to protect public safety, subject to a narrow unlawful-entry defense.
(a)Any animal exhibiting behavior set forth in this section is hereby declared to be a dangerous animal. It shall be unlawful for any owner or custodian of an animal to permit or allow said animal, without intentional provocation, to:(1)Cause bodily injury to any person at any place within the city;(2)Approach any person in a menacing or terrorizing manner, or in an apparent attitude of attack, while off the owner's or custodian's property;(3)Kill another animal while off the owner's or custodian's property; or(4)Attack any person who is lawfully on the owner's or custodian's property...(d)Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the animal management officer from taking whatever action is reasonably necessary to protect his person or other members of the public from injury or damage, including immediate destruction of any dangerous animal without notice to the owner or custodian.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Council Policy Manual: Supplement 1 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
Section 14-51(a) of the Arvada City Code declares an animal "dangerous" based on what it does, not its breed: causing bodily injury to a person anywhere in the city, approaching a person in a menacing or terrorizing manner or in an apparent attitude of attack while off the owner's property, killing another animal while off the owner's property, or attacking a person lawfully on the owner's own property. 5), so Arvada's ordinance evaluates dogs of every breed under this same conduct-based test rather than listing prohibited breeds.
Subsection (b) gives an owner one affirmative defense: the "victim" made an unlawful entry into the dwelling or enclosed premises of the owner or custodian, or was bitten during the commission of a crime against the owner or custodian. " A related section, 14-52, separately declares an animal "aggressive" for lesser conduct such as harassing someone from a yard through a fence or attacking another animal off the owner's property. 00, or a prohibition on owning animals for a set period, on top of the fine.
Violations & Fines
A dangerous-animal violation is prosecuted under Section 14-7, capped at the Section 1-5 general penalty: up to $2,650.00 in fines, up to 364 days in jail, or both. The municipal court may add special sanctions under Section 14-6(b), including mandatory secure-enclosure construction, spay or neuter, $100,000.00 liability insurance, or a ban on owning animals, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Arvada ban pit bulls or other specific dog breeds?
Can Arvada destroy my dog after a dangerous-animal declaration?
Is there a defense to a dangerous-animal charge in Arvada?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arvada
How Arvada compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Arvada to another location·View the Colorado animal ordinances overview
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