Terrebonne Parish, LA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Approach
- Behavior-based, no breed-specific ban
- Governing sections
- Terrebonne Parish Code §§ 5-30, 5-45, 5-46
- Off-property rule
- Muzzle plus leash under 4 feet required
- Home confinement
- Locked pen or 6-ft privacy fence with signage
- Dangerous dog fine
- $500 per violation of § 5-45
- Vicious dog outcome
- Mandatory euthanasia, $250-$500 fine
Summary
Terrebonne Parish does not ban dogs by breed; instead it declares a dog dangerous or vicious case by case based on behavior. Parish Code §§ 5-30 and 5-45 require a dangerous dog to be muzzled and leashed off the owner's property and confined behind a locked pen or a six-foot privacy fence with warning signs at home.
(4)Declared dangerous by the parish administrative hearing panel as authorized in this article, because the dog behaves in any of the following manners:a.Any dog which, when unprovoked, engages in any behavior that requires a defensive action by any person to prevent bodily injury when the person and the dog are off the property of the owner of the dog; orb.Any dog which, when unprovoked, bites a person, whether on or off the property of the owner, causing said person to be severely injured; or ... (c)A ... dangerous dog may be off the owner's property only if it is muzzled and restrained by a substantial leash not exceeding four (4) feet and under the control of a person able to maintain control of the dog. The muzzle must be made in a manner that will not cause injury or interfere with the dog's vision or respiration but must prevent it from biting any person and/or animal.
Full Breakdown
Terrebonne Parish regulates individual dogs by conduct, not by breed. Under § 5-30, a dog becomes legally dangerous when the parish's administrative hearing panel finds it, unprovoked, forced a person to take defensive action to avoid injury while off its owner's property, bit a person and caused severe injury, or killed or seriously injured another animal off the owner's property; a dog previously declared dangerous by any court in the United States also qualifies automatically. Section 5-31 defines a vicious dog as one that, unprovoked, kills or seriously injures a person, or that was already declared dangerous and then forces a person into defensive action again.
Once declared dangerous, § 5-45 requires the owner to keep the dog either securely confined indoors away from screened doors and windows or in a locked, escape-proof pen with a concrete floor, and if the dog lives primarily indoors, behind a privacy fence at least six feet tall enclosing every entrance, with 'Beware of Dog' or 'Dangerous Dog' signs at least three inches tall posted on every side. Off the property, a dangerous dog must wear a muzzle and be on a leash no longer than four feet, held by someone able to control it.
The owner must also have it spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and licensed as a dangerous dog before release from the shelter. Violating § 5-45 carries a $500 fine per violation, and a second citation results in seizure and, absent a successful appeal within five days, humane disposal of the dog with the owner barred from redeeming it. Keeping a vicious dog is unlawful outright: § 5-46 requires the panel to euthanize it and fine the owner $250 to $500, and § 5-47 lets the panel bar the owner from owning any dog for up to three years.
Violations & Fines
Owning a dangerous dog without the required muzzle, leash, locked pen or privacy fence and signage violates § 5-45 and carries a $500 fine per offense; a second citation triggers seizure of the dog, with disposal unless the owner appeals within five days. Keeping a dog declared vicious is unlawful outright under § 5-46, drawing a $250 to $500 fine and mandatory euthanasia, and the panel may bar the owner from owning any dog for up to three years under § 5-47.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Terrebonne Parish ban pit bulls or other breeds?
What do I have to do if my dog is declared dangerous?
What happens if my dog is declared vicious instead of dangerous?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Terrebonne Parish
How Terrebonne Parish compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Terrebonne Parish to another location·View the Louisiana animal ordinances overview
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