Ramsey County, MN Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed ban
- None: prohibited statewide
- Governing law
- Minn. Stat. §347.50-.565
- Basis
- Individual behavior, not breed
- Breed-specific rules
- Barred by §347.51 subd. 8
- Enforcer
- City animal control
Summary
Neither Ramsey County nor Minnesota bans any dog breed. State law regulates individual dogs by behavior under the Dangerous Dog Act, Minn. Stat. §347.50-.565. A dog becomes 'dangerous' after specific attacks, not because of its breed.
"Dangerous dog" means any dog that has: (1) without provocation, inflicted substantial bodily harm on a human being on public or private property; (2) killed a domestic animal without provocation while off the owner's property; or (3) been found to be potentially dangerous, and after the owner has notice that the dog is potentially dangerous, the dog aggressively bites, attacks, or endangers the safety of humans or domestic animals.
Full Breakdown
Minnesota does not permit breed-specific bans; Minn. Stat. §347.51 subd. 8 bars cities from adopting breed-specific dangerous-dog regulation. Instead, a dog is classified individually as 'potentially dangerous' or 'dangerous' based on documented behavior. A 'dangerous dog' is one that without provocation inflicted substantial bodily harm on a person, killed a domestic animal off the owner's property, or bit again after being declared potentially dangerous. Enforcement is by your city's animal control (St. Paul Animal Control for the county seat), which applies the same statewide statute. So no breed is banned anywhere in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
Violations & Fines
A dog declared dangerous must be registered, sterilized, microchipped, and enclosed/muzzled; failing these requirements can lead to seizure and destruction of the dog under §347.54.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pit bulls banned in Ramsey County?
How does a dog become 'dangerous' under state law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ramsey County
How Ramsey County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Ramsey County to another location·View the Minnesota animal ordinances overview
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