Kirkwood, MO Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Bite history, not breed, § 4-52(a)
- Seizure
- Immediate, by animal control or County Sheriff
- Hold period
- 10 business days before destruction
- Appeal
- Written appeal to Circuit Court, § 4-52(c)
- Hearing deadline
- Disposition hearing within 30 days of appeal
- Defense
- Bite during victim's own criminal activity, § 4-52(d)
Summary
Kirkwood doesn't restrict dogs by breed, but § 4-52 imposes a strict bite-based dangerous dog standard: a dog that has bitten before and bites again, or a dog with no history that attacks and causes serious injury or death, must be seized immediately and is destroyed after a 10-business-day hold unless the owner appeals to Circuit Court.
(a) A person is guilty of keeping a dangerous dog and commits an ordinance violation if he or she owns or possesses a dog that has previously bitten a person or a domestic animal without provocation and that dog bites any person on a subsequent occasion. (b) If any dog that has previously bitten a person or a domestic animal without provocation bites any person on a subsequent occasion or if a dog that has not previously bitten a person attacks and causes serious injury to or the death of any human, the dog shall be seized immediately by an animal control authority or by the County Sheriff. The dog shall be impounded and held for 10 business days after the owner or possessor is given written notification and thereafter destroyed. (c) The owner or possessor of the dog that has been impounded may file a written appeal to the Circuit Court to contest the impoundment and destruction of such dog.
Full Breakdown
Kirkwood's dangerous dog rule, added in 1996 and rewritten in 2018, is based entirely on bite history rather than breed. Under subsection (a), a person 'is guilty of keeping a dangerous dog' and commits an ordinance violation if their dog has bitten a person or domestic animal without provocation before, and then bites a person again. Subsection (b) covers two triggers for mandatory seizure: a repeat-biter dog described in subsection (a), or any dog, with no prior bite history at all, that attacks and causes serious injury or death to a human.
Either trigger requires an animal control authority or the County Sheriff to seize the dog immediately; it is then impounded and, after the owner or possessor receives written notice, held for 10 business days before being destroyed. Subsection (c) gives the owner one avenue to stop that outcome: a written appeal to the Circuit Court, which pauses the impoundment and destruction until the court rules, and the Circuit Court must hold a disposition hearing within 30 days of the appeal being filed to decide whether the dog is destroyed; the court can also order the owner to pay the dog's keeping costs during the appeal. '
Violations & Fines
Keeping a dangerous dog under § 4-52(a) is an ordinance violation; separately, the dog itself faces immediate seizure and a mandatory 10-business-day impoundment before destruction under subsection (b). The only way to stop that is a written appeal to Circuit Court under subsection (c), which must be resolved at a disposition hearing within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kirkwood ban specific dog breeds?
What happens to a dog declared dangerous in Kirkwood?
Can I stop my dog from being destroyed?
Is there any defense if my dog bites someone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kirkwood
How Kirkwood compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Kirkwood to another location·View the Missouri animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Breed Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in St. Louis County handle breed restrictions.