Frederick County, VA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 48-3.1, Frederick County Code
- Breed rule
- No breed alone can support a dangerous/vicious finding
- Registration fee
- $150 initial, $85 annual renewal
- Insurance required
- $100,000 liability coverage or bond
- Noncompliance penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor
Summary
Frederick County has no breed ban and no breed-specific licensing surcharge: § 48-3.1(C) of the County Code states that no dog may be found a dangerous or vicious dog, and no breed's ownership may be prohibited, solely because of its breed. Dangerous-dog status instead turns entirely on a court finding based on the animal's own conduct.
As used in this section, "dangerous dog" means a canine or canine crossbreed which a court of competent jurisdiction has determined to be a dangerous dog pursuant to § 3.2-6540 of the Code of Virginia; ... "vicious dog" means a canine or canine crossbreed which has i) killed a person; ii) inflicted serious injury to a person, including multiple bites, serious disfigurement, serious impairment of health or serious impairment of a bodily function; or iii) continued to exhibit the behavior which resulted in a previous finding by a court that it is a dangerous dog, provided that its owner has been given notice of that finding. ... No canine or canine crossbreed shall be found to be a dangerous dog or vicious dog solely because it is a particular breed, nor is the ownership of a particular breed of canine or canine crossbreed prohibited.
Full Breakdown
1 lets an Animal Control Officer who believes a dog is dangerous or vicious apply to a magistrate for a summons requiring the owner to appear before general district court, and the court decides dangerous-or-vicious status entirely on the animal's own conduct: a dangerous dog is one a court has found responsible for an attack causing serious injury or repeated aggressive behavior after notice, and a vicious dog is one that has killed a person, inflicted serious injury such as multiple bites, or continued the behavior behind an earlier dangerous-dog finding.
" The same subsection also shields dogs that bit while defending against a crime, trespass or provocation on their owner's property, police dogs performing their duties, and dogs that killed another dog or cat while lawfully hunting or at an organized handling event. 1(E). 2-6562.
Violations & Fines
Frederick County imposes no breed-based penalty. An owner of a court-adjudicated dangerous dog who willfully fails to comply with the registration, insurance, confinement and signage duties in § 48-3.1(D) through (F) is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, and the court may bar that person from owning, possessing or living with a dog. A vicious-dog finding carries a mandatory euthanasia order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Frederick County ban pit bulls or other breeds?
What does it take for a court to declare a dog dangerous in Frederick County?
What must an owner do once their dog is declared dangerous?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Frederick County
How Frederick County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Frederick County to another location·View the Virginia animal ordinances overview
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