Sahuarita, AZ Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Arizona Revised Statutes Section 9-500.31 prohibits cities and towns from declaring any specific dog breed to be dangerous or vicious or from enacting breed-specific regulations. This means Sahuarita cannot ban pit bulls, Rottweilers, German shepherds, or any other breed. Dogs are evaluated based on their individual behavior rather than their breed. Arizona uses a dangerous-dog and aggressive-dog classification system under ARS 11-1025 and 11-1029 where individual dogs that have bitten or exhibited threatening behavior are classified and their owners face specific requirements including secure confinement, signage, liability insurance, and muzzling in public. An aggressive dog designation requires that the dog bit a person without provocation or has a history of threatening behavior. A dangerous dog designation applies when the dog has caused serious injury. While the town cannot regulate breeds, HOA CC&Rs may include breed restrictions as private contractual provisions. Rancho Sahuarita and other HOAs may restrict certain breeds, impose weight limits, or limit the number of dogs per household. These private restrictions are not preempted by ARS 9-500.31 because they are voluntary agreements, not government regulations.