Berwyn, IL Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed bans
- None named in Chapter 616; rules follow conduct
- Declaring authority
- Chief of Police after a review of the facts
- Hearing request
- Written, within five days of receiving notice
- Final decision
- Mayor or designee at an administrative hearing
- Aggressive dog insurance
- $100,000 liability policy within ten business days
- Guard dogs
- Commercial guard dogs count as dangerous animals
Summary
In the City of Berwyn, Illinois, dog restrictions turn on conduct, not breed. The Chief of Police can declare a dog aggressive, and a dog used for fighting, used by a business to guard property, or found vicious under state law counts as a dangerous animal that cannot be kept in the city.
AGGRESSIVE DOG. Any dog deemed running at large and without provocation, that chases or approaches any person in an apparent attitude of attack, on any public property or in any place outside or over the boundaries of its owner’s property, and where the dog has been declared aggressive by the Chief of Police after a review of the facts in each case. ... As used in this section, the term DANGEROUS ANIMAL means any animal meeting any one of the following criteria, including domestic dogs: ... (3) Any animal owned or harbored, primarily or in part, for the purpose of dog or other animal fighting or any animal trained for dog or other animal fighting; (4) Any dog that is used by a commercial venture to guard public or private property, except those owned by a governmental or law enforcement unit; or (5) Any animal which has been found to be a vicious dog under state law.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 616 of the Berwyn Code of Ordinances does not name any dog breed. Section 616.01 instead defines two conduct-based categories. An aggressive dog is one deemed running at large that, without provocation, chases or approaches a person in an apparent attitude of attack on public property or outside its owner's property, and that the Chief of Police has declared aggressive after a review of the facts in each case.
The definition of dangerous animal expressly reaches domestic dogs. Five triggers apply: an unprovoked bite, injury, kill or attack on a person or domestic animal on public or private property; a prior aggressive declaration followed by unprovoked chasing or approaching; ownership or harboring for dog or other animal fighting, or training for it; use of the dog by a commercial venture to guard public or private property, except animals owned by a governmental or law enforcement unit; and a finding that the animal is a vicious dog under state law.
The consequences differ by tier. Under § 616.02(C) and (D), an aggressive declaration is served on the owner of record within three days, the owner has five days after receipt to request a hearing through the Chief of Police, and the Mayor or a designee decides it finally. The owner must then carry at least $100,000 in liability insurance within ten business days, naming the city as a policy holder, and must muzzle the dog and restrain it with a chain or leash not over four feet whenever it is off the owner's property.
A dangerous declaration under § 616.04(C) is stricter because keeping the animal in the city is unlawful. No dog is determined dangerous until the Chief of Police issues a declaration, with notice within three days and the same five-day hearing request to the Mayor. Under §§ 616.06 and 616.07, a dangerous dog held after a bite or impoundment is released only when the owner proves it will not be kept or housed in the city and gives the exact new location so the city can notify the receiving authorities.
Violations & Fines
Section 616.99 fines each violation of Chapter 616 no less than $75 and no more than $750, and each day a violation exists is a separate violation. Fines, costs and fees fall on the animal owner or the owner of the real property where the animal was kept, and unpaid amounts can become a lien on the property. A dangerous dog is not returned to its owner until all fines and costs are paid and the out-of-city housing proof is supplied.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Berwyn ban pit bulls or other breeds?
Can I appeal a dangerous or aggressive dog declaration?
Is a guard dog at a business a dangerous animal in Berwyn?
What must I do after my dog is declared aggressive?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Berwyn
How Berwyn compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Berwyn to another location·View the Illinois animal ordinances overview
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Breed Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle breed restrictions.