Charlottesville, VA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Charlottesville doesn't ban any breed by name. Section 4-43(c) expressly states 'no canine or canine crossbreed shall be found to be a dangerous dog or vicious dog solely because it is a particular breed,' so the city's dog-danger system is entirely behavior-based. A 'dangerous dog' under § 4-43(a) is one that has bitten, attacked or injured a person or companion animal, or killed a companion animal; a 'vicious dog' under § 4-43(b) has killed a person, inflicted serious injury on a person, or continued dangerous behavior after a prior finding.

Section 4-44 requires the animal control officer to investigate any complaint, confine the dog pending the outcome, and issue a written determination, with the owner able to appeal a dangerous-dog finding to general district court; a vicious-dog finding instead goes straight to a court summons and hearing. 00 fee, renewed annually, affix a uniform warning tag to the dog's collar, and show proof the dog is neutered or spayed, current on rabies vaccination, confined in a proper enclosure, and permanently identified by tattoo or microchip; the property must also be posted with visible warning signs.

Section 4-46 requires the dog be confined indoors or in a secure locked structure at home, and leashed and muzzled off the property, and requires the owner to carry at least $100,000 in liability insurance. Willful noncompliance is a Class 1 misdemeanor under § 4-47.