Westminster, CO Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- W.M.C. § 6-7-8
- Breed named in code
- None; conduct-based only
- Vicious-animal insurance
- $100,000.00 policy or bond
- Potentially-dangerous lead limit
- 6 feet
- Vicious-animal lead limit
- 4 feet, muzzled
- Escape reporting window
- Within 1 hour
Summary
Westminster does not name or ban any dog breed. Instead, Section 6-7-8 declares an animal 'potentially dangerous' or 'vicious' based on what it actually did, then imposes leash, muzzle, microchip, spay/neuter, and insurance requirements regardless of breed.
Any owner or custodian of an animal shall be criminally liable for any animal's behavior meeting the definition of potentially dangerous animal... (1)Causing bodily injury to any person or domestic animal;(2)Chasing or menacing a person or domestic animal in an aggressive manner;(3)Acting in an aggressive manner while encroaching onto public or private property, from a vehicle, or from the owner's yard through, on or over a fence... The owner of a vicious animal shall maintain at all times either a policy of insurance or a surety bond in a minimum amount of $100,000.00 to cover claims for any personal injuries or property damage inflicted by the vicious animal.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 6-7-8 of the Westminster Municipal Code defines potentially dangerous animals by conduct: causing bodily injury, chasing or menacing aggressively, or acting aggressively while encroaching from a vehicle or the owner's yard. An owner keeping such an animal must be 18 or older, keep it leashed on no more than a six-foot lead outside a proper enclosure, complete a City-approved training or behavior program, have the animal spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian, and microchip it with registered owner information. Owners must report an escape within one hour and any attack, sale, transfer, or death of the animal within 24 hours.
00 insurance policy or surety bond with 30 days' notice to the City before any lapse. The Code carves out defenses, including provocation, trespass onto the animal's confined area, and peace-officer use, and none of these classifications turn on the animal's breed.
Violations & Fines
Violating the possession requirements for a potentially dangerous or vicious animal is a criminal offense under Section 1-8-1, W.M.C., punishable by fine or confinement. Failing to notify Animal Management of an escape, attack, sale, or death within the one-hour or 24-hour windows is a separate violation, and courts may order the animal forfeited or euthanized on conviction under Section 6-7-9(E).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Westminster, Colorado ban pit bulls or any specific dog breed?
What must an owner do once a dog is declared potentially dangerous in Westminster?
What extra requirement applies once a dog is classified vicious rather than potentially dangerous?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
How Westminster compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Westminster to another location·View the Colorado animal ordinances overview
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Breed Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Adams County handle breed restrictions.