Bend, OR Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)

Bend Code 5.20.035(D) singles out microchipping as one of the mandatory consequences of a dangerous-animal declaration, separate from the discretionary confinement, muzzling and signage restrictions listed earlier in the same section. If the animal designated dangerous is a dog, the dog must at all times wear a special dog tag identifying it as a dangerous animal and must be microchipped, and the owner is responsible for paying for both the special tag and the microchip. The dangerous-animal designation itself comes only from a Bend Municipal Court Judge under Bend Code 5.20.035, following the behavioral findings defined in Bend Code 5.20.000(B), an unprovoked attack, an unprovoked act placing someone in reasonable fear of imminent injury, or use in animal fighting.

Outside that narrow context, the Bend Code's animal chapter has no general microchip mandate: Bend Code 5.20.020 requires only a dog license tag on a collar for any dog with permanent canine teeth, with no chip requirement attached. Enforcement of the dangerous-dog microchip rule falls to Bend Police and the Bend Municipal Court under the same Chapter 1.40 civil infraction procedure used for the rest of the animal chapter.