Lawrence, MA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- Behavior-based; breed is not a factor
- Consequence
- Citywide ban once declared dangerous/vicious
- Registration deadline
- Annually by April 1 (started Nov 1, 1996)
- Required insurance
- $100,000.00 liability, city named coinsured
- Exempt
- Law-enforcement dogs on duty
- General violation penalty
- $10.00-$200.00 per offense
Summary
Lawrence's ordinance targets behavior, not breed: a dog is 'dangerous or vicious' under § 6.04.160 if it has a history of unprovoked attacks or a documented propensity to attack, and once the animal control officer makes that finding the dog is banned outright from anywhere in the city. Owners of registered dangerous dogs face separate registration, photo and insurance rules.
A.A "dangerous or vicious" dog, as the term is used in this section, means any dog with a propensity, tendency or disposition to attack, to cause injury or to otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or domestic animals; or any dog which attacks a human being or a domestic animal on two or more occasions without provocation and shall include the definition of "dangerous dog" in section 6.04.010.B.Any dog that has been identified either by the animal control officer as a dangerous dog, or falls under the definition of "dangerous dog" as stated in section 6.04.010 shall be banned from anywhere within the City of Lawrence.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 8).
Full Breakdown
010. Nothing in either definition turns on breed; the standard is the individual dog's documented conduct. ' Dogs owned by law enforcement agencies for law-enforcement purposes are exempted under subsection C. 180 lets any resident file a sworn affidavit with police or the animal control officer alleging an unregistered dangerous dog, triggering a city clerk records check and, if unregistered, a police notice ordering a veterinary inspection.
Violations & Fines
Notice-and-hearing procedures for a dangerous-dog determination follow Massachusetts General Laws chapter 140, per § 6.04.160(E), and compliance with local registration is not a defense to a state-law disposal order under chapter 140, section 157. Beyond the ban itself, general Chapter 6.04 penalties apply: $10.00 to $200.00 per violation under § 6.04.280, with any license or permit to own or keep animals revoked once a violation is found by the chief of police or a court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lawrence ban specific dog breeds?
What happens once a dog is declared dangerous?
What must an owner of a registered dangerous dog do?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lawrence
How Lawrence compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Lawrence to another location·View the Massachusetts animal ordinances overview
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