Coon Rapids, MN Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- No breed criteria
- Declaration is based on behavior, not breed
- Notice radius
- 350 feet to residences, 1,000 feet to schools
- Insurance/bond
- $300,000 minimum for a Dangerous Dog
- Leash length
- 4 feet dangerous, 6 feet potentially dangerous
- Appeal window
- 14 days, $100 fee, to Chief of Police
- Review eligibility
- After six months, owner may request review
Summary
Coon Rapids does not ban dogs by breed. City Code § 6-102(2) and (6) define a Dangerous Dog and a Potentially Dangerous Dog entirely by behavior, such as an unprovoked bite or two separate attacks, and § 6-117 lays out the registration, containment, and insurance rules that apply once the Chief of Police makes that declaration.
(2)Dangerous Dog means any dog within the City or outside the City has:(a)Without provocation, inflicted substantial bodily harm on a human being on public or private property;(b)Killed a domestic animal without provocation while off the owner's property;(c)Been found to be potentially dangerous, and after the owner has been notified that the dog is potentially dangerous, the dog aggressively bites, attacks, or endangers the safety of humans or domestic animals; or(d)Attacked one or more persons on two or more occasions. ... (6)Potentially Dangerous Dog means any dog within the City or outside the City:(a)When unprovoked, inflicts a bite on a human or domestic animal on public or private property;(b)When unprovoked, chases or approaches a person, including a person on a bicycle, upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public property or private property, other than the dog owner's property, in an apparent attitude of attack; or(c)Exhibits a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked, causing injury or otherwise threatening the safety of humans or domestic animals.
Full Breakdown
Section 6-102(2) defines a Dangerous Dog as one that, without provocation, causes substantial bodily harm to a person, kills another animal off the owner's property, attacks after already being declared potentially dangerous, or attacks people on two or more occasions. Section 6-102(6) defines a Potentially Dangerous Dog more broadly, covering any unprovoked bite, an unprovoked chase or approach toward a person or cyclist in an attacking posture, or a known propensity to attack. Once the Chief of Police makes either declaration, Section 6-117(2) requires notice to every residence within 350 feet and every school within 1,000 feet if a Dangerous Dog is allowed to stay in the City.
Section 6-117(3) then requires a proper enclosure with a posted warning sign, a $300,000 surety bond or liability policy, a City-issued warning tag, and, when the dog leaves the enclosure, a muzzle and a chain or leash no longer than four feet under a responsible adult's control; a Potentially Dangerous Dog gets the same enclosure and muzzle rule but a six-foot leash limit under Section 6-118(3)(a). Both declarations also require the Animal Control Authority to have the dog sterilized and microchipped at the owner's expense.
Section 6-119 gives an owner 14 days to appeal a declaration in writing to the Chief of Police for a $100.00 fee, and Section 6-121 lets an owner ask for the designation to be reviewed starting six months after it was made if the dog's behavior has changed.
Violations & Fines
The owner of a dog that meets the Dangerous Dog criteria in Section 6-102(2) is guilty of a misdemeanor under Section 6-117(1), and the owner of a Potentially Dangerous Dog is guilty of a misdemeanor under Section 6-118(1). A subsequent qualifying act by the same dog requires the Animal Control Authority to order the dog destroyed or permanently removed from the City within five calendar days, and failing to comply with that order under Section 6-120 is itself a separate misdemeanor, with the City then confiscating and destroying the dog at the owner's cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Coon Rapids ban specific dog breeds?
What must I do if my dog is declared dangerous?
Can I appeal a dangerous dog declaration?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coon Rapids
How Coon Rapids compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Coon Rapids to another location·View the Minnesota animal ordinances overview
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