Benton County, AR Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

No person shall keep, harbor, or possess a vicious dog within the county. In addition, no person shall possess or harbor or maintain care or custody of any dog for the purpose of dog fighting, or train, torment, badger, bait or use any dog for the purpose of causing or encouraging the dog to attack human beings or domestic animals. (b)<w:t xml:space="preserve">The term "vicious dog" is defined as follows: (1)<w:t xml:space="preserve">Any dog with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked, to cause injury to or otherwise threaten the safety of human beings or domestic animals. (2)<w:t xml:space="preserve">Any dog which, without provocation, attacks or bites, or has attacked or bitten, a human being or domestic animal. (3)<w:t xml:space="preserve">Any dog owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of dog fighting, or any dog trained for dog fighting. (c)<w:t xml:space="preserve">The following dogs shall be specifically exempted from the provisions of this section: (1)<w:t xml:space="preserve">Police and other public safety dogs. (2)<w:t xml:space="preserve">Dogs acting to protect its owner's private property or person. (3)<w:t xml:space="preserve">Service dogs acting in the performance of duties for which they were trained. (4)<w:t xml:space="preserve">Stock dogs while being used to work with cattle or other farm animals.