Summit County, OH Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Classification basis
- Behavior, not breed
- Nuisance dog test
- Menacing chase without provocation
- Dangerous dog test
- Injury, dog-kill, or 3rd violation
- Vicious dog test
- Killed or injured a person
- Transfer certificate fee
- $5.00 filed with Fiscal Officer
- Vicious dog felony
- 4th-degree felony if death or serious injury
- Police dogs
- Excluded from all three tiers
Summary
Summit County classifies dogs as nuisance, dangerous, or vicious based only on documented behavior, never on breed. Sec. 505.21(a) defines each category by what a dog has actually done, such as biting, killing another dog, or repeatedly running loose, so no breed, including pit bulls, is presumed dangerous under the county's animal control chapter.
"Dangerous dog" means a dog that, without provocation, and subject to division (1)B. of this section, has: 1. Caused injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person; 2. Killed another dog; 3. Been the subject of a third or subsequent violation of division (c) of Section 505.22 of this chapter... "Nuisance dog" means a dog that without provocation and while off the premises of its owner, keeper, or harborer has chased or approached a person in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack or has attempted to bite or otherwise endanger any person... "Vicious dog" means a dog that, without provocation and subject to division (a)(6)B. of this section, has killed or caused injury to any person.
Full Breakdown
Summit County Code of Ordinances Sec. 21(a) sets three behavior-based classifications, and none of them turns on breed. A dog is a "nuisance dog" if it chases or approaches a person in a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack without provocation; a "dangerous dog" if it has caused injury short of killing or serious injury to a person, killed another dog, or racked up a third restraint violation under Sec. 22(c); and a "vicious dog" if it has killed or caused injury to a person.
A police dog acting in an official capacity is carved out of all three definitions. Once a dog is declared dangerous, vicious, or a repeat nuisance dog under Sec. 23, the owner faces the confinement, registration, insurance, and microchipping duties in Sec. 22(d) through (i), regardless of the dog's breed. Sec. 00 fee; Summit Public Health receives a copy whenever the dog is dangerous or vicious. The chapter was last amended by Ord. 2012-285, adopted August 27, 2012, and carries forward the same behavior-only test today.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 505.99 ties the penalty to the declared class, not the breed. A dangerous dog confinement violation is a fourth-degree misdemeanor first offense, rising to third-degree on repeat; a vicious dog violation is a first-degree misdemeanor, escalating to a fourth-degree felony if the dog kills or seriously injures a person, with court-ordered destruction by a veterinarian, the Animal Warden, or the Greater Akron Humane Society. Skipping the Sec. 505.21(b) transfer certificate is a minor misdemeanor, escalating on repeat for missing the bite-history disclosure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pit bulls or other breeds banned or restricted in Summit County?
Who decides whether my dog gets declared dangerous or vicious?
What must I disclose if I sell a dog that has bitten someone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Summit County
How Summit County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Summit County to another location·View the Ohio animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.