Colorado Springs, CO Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed Ban
- None in Colorado Springs
- State Preemption
- C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(5)(a)
- Regulation Basis
- Behavior and owner responsibility, not breed
- Year Enacted
- 2004 ('ban on bans')
- Dangerous-Dog Authority Retained
- Yes, if breed-neutral
Summary
Colorado Springs has no breed-specific dog ban; Colorado state law C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(5)(a) prohibits municipalities from regulating dangerous dogs in a manner specific to breed, so dogs are regulated by behavior, not breed.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a municipality from adopting any rule or law for the control of dangerous dogs; except that any such rule or law shall not regulate dangerous dogs in a manner that is specific to breed.
Full Breakdown
No Colorado Springs ordinance bans or restricts any specific dog breed. S. 5 (Unlawful ownership of dangerous dog) provides that nothing in the section shall be construed to prohibit a municipality from adopting any rule or law for the control of dangerous dogs, except that any such rule or law shall not regulate dangerous dogs in a manner that is specific to breed. The statute likewise bars counties from adopting breed-specific dangerous-dog resolutions. Enacted in 2004 as a 'ban on bans,' the statute directs that dogs be regulated by behavior and owner responsibility rather than by breed identification.
102 - which apply equally to every breed. Pit bulls, Rottweilers, and other commonly restricted breeds are legal to own in Colorado Springs provided the owner complies with the City's general licensing, vaccination, restraint, and dangerous-dog requirements.
Violations & Fines
Because regulation is behavior-based, there is no breed to register or surrender. Owners face penalties only for behavior-based violations - running at large, dangerous-dog conduct, biting, failure to license or vaccinate - under the City Code and C.R.S. 18-9-204.5, which carries escalating criminal penalties for owners of dogs that cause injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pit bulls legal in Colorado Springs?
Can Colorado Springs still regulate dangerous dogs?
Could Colorado Springs pass a pit bull ban in the future?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Colorado Springs
How Colorado Springs compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Colorado Springs to another location·View the Colorado animal ordinances overview
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