Medford, OR Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed-specific ban
- None; conduct-based only
- Dangerous dog definition
- MMC § 5.601
- Failure to control offense
- MMC § 5.603
- Injury penalty
- Up to $1,000 + 1 year (§ 5.990(1))
- Fear-only penalty
- Up to $500 + 30 days (§ 5.990(4))
- Court can order
- Spay/neuter, enclosure, ownership ban
Summary
Medford has no breed-specific dog ban. Instead, Code Section 5.601 defines a "dangerous dog" by its conduct, an unprovoked attack in public causing injury, and Section 5.603 makes it a crime for an owner to let a dangerous dog hurt someone, with penalties up to $1,000 and a year in jail.
5.601 Definitions.
(2) “Dangerous dog” means a dog that engages in an unprovoked attack in a public place that causes either physical injury to another person or animal.
5.603 Failure to Control Dangerous Dog.
(1) A person commits the crime of failure to control dangerous dog if the person:
(a) Intentionally or recklessly permits a dangerous dog to inflict physical injury on another person or animal;
(b) With criminal negligence permits a dangerous dog to inflict physical injury on another person or animal; or
(c) Intentionally or recklessly permits a dangerous dog to engage in conduct that places a person in fear of imminent physical injury.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-32, passed May 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Medford Municipal Code does not single out any breed for restriction or a mandatory dangerous-dog declaration by ancestry. 601, "Definitions," defines "dangerous dog" strictly by behavior: a dog that engages in an unprovoked attack in a public place causing physical injury to another person or animal. "Unprovoked" is itself defined by exclusion, conduct that is not in response to being tormented, abused, or assaulted, not a response to pain or injury, not protection of nursing offspring, and not a response to an assault on a person.
603, "Failure to Control Dangerous Dog," then makes it a crime for an owner to intentionally or recklessly, or with criminal negligence, permit a dangerous dog to inflict physical injury on a person or animal, or to intentionally or recklessly permit the dog to place a person in fear of imminent physical injury. 603(3) lets the court impose conditions tailored to the specific dog and owner: requiring a secure enclosure, a posted warning sign, mandatory spay or neuter, suspension of the right to own a dog in the city, mandatory attendance at a responsible pet ownership class at the owner's expense, or any other condition the court finds necessary.
604 states the chapter is intended to be consistent with state law and severable if any part is struck down. The whole framework, added by Ordinance No. 2014-140 in 2014, replaced an older 1999 ordinance and deliberately regulates by what a dog does rather than what breed it is.
Violations & Fines
Failure to control a dangerous dog that actually inflicts injury, Section 5.603(1)(a) or (b), is a crime punishable under Section 5.990(1) by a fine up to $1,000 and imprisonment up to one year. The lesser offense of recklessly letting a dangerous dog place someone in fear of imminent injury, Section 5.603(1)(c), is a crime punishable under Section 5.990(4) by a fine up to $500 and up to 30 days in jail. Courts may add restrictions under Section 5.603(3) in either case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medford ban pit bulls or other specific dog breeds?
What happens to an owner whose dog injures someone in Medford?
Can a Medford court order a dog to be euthanized or removed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Medford
How Medford compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Medford to another location·View the Oregon animal ordinances overview
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