Find out about prohibited dog breeds and your responsibilities as the owner of a dangerous or menacing dog.
A number of dog breeds are prohibited in Australia because they’re considered a higher risk to community safety.
You can’t own any of the following dog breeds in Queensland under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008:
Report a prohibited dog by calling 07 3403 8888.
Dogs involved in reported incidents and that pose a danger to the community may be deemed dangerous or menacing and declared as a regulated dog under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 (the Act).
If you own a regulated dog, you must follow strict requirements to ensure they don’t hurt any person, animal or wildlife.
Council may declare a dog dangerous if:
Council may declare a dog menacing if:
it has caused fear to a person or another animal
an authorised person forms an opinion that it may attack (in a way that is not considered a serious attack) a person or another animal.
If your dog has been declared dangerous or menacing under the Act, you can surrender your regulated dog to Council. If you wish to surrender your dog, contact Council on 07 3403 8888.
If you want to keep your dog, you must comply with mandatory requirements under the Act. You must also pay higher dog registration fees.
Pay the annual registration fee for regulated dogs.
Microchip your dog, if you haven’t already. A vet can do this for you.
Whenever you move address, you must contact your microchip registry to update your details.
You must desex your dog if it's declared dangerous.
Your dog must always wear the distinctive collar and attached yellow regulated tag provided by Council.
The distinctive collar must:
be made of durable material
have a buckle or other fastener to securely attach the collar to the dog
have diagonal stripes at an angle of 45 degrees on the collar that are at least 25mm wide and alternately coloured red and yellow (with at least one stripe being reflective and visible in low light).
You may purchase new collars from Council. Replacement tags are provided free.
Always keep your dog in an approved enclosure when it’s home.
The enclosure must:
Council conducts regular inspections of approved dog enclosures. They must always comply with permit requirements.
You must muzzle your dog whenever you take it outside the approved enclosure, if it’s declared dangerous.
Display approved warning signage at or near every entrance to your property.
Make sure your dog doesn’t escape from its approved enclosure. Council is not required to return lost/wandering regulated dogs to their owners. We may issue an order for the dog to be euthanised.
You must pay annual registration fees for keeping a dangerous or menacing animal.
You may qualify for reduced fees in subsequent years if your performance reviews are successful and you comply with conditions of ownership.
| Registration type | Full fee | Reduced fee |
|---|---|---|
| Desexed dangerous dog | $734.10 | $261.40 |
| Non-desexed dangerous dog | $1,038.55 | $261.40 |
| Desexed menacing dog | $734.10 | $209 |
| Non-desexed menacing dog | $1,038.55 | $261.40 |
There are fees for replacing items you must have for your dangerous or menacing dog.
| Replacement item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Declared dangerous or menacing dog replacement sign | $35.30 |
| Regulated dog collar - small | $64.60 |
| Regulated dog collar - medium | $90.40 |
| Regulated dog collar - large | $94.30 |
You can appeal the decision if your dog is declared dangerous or menacing. The appeal process will be outlined at the time of the declaration.
A declared dangerous dog cannot regain a non-dangerous status under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008.
If you possess a prohibited dog breed, Council will immediately seize the dog and issue a destruction order under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008.
Any animal, other than a dog, can be investigated and declared regulated under Council’s Animals Local Law 2017. An animal may be regulated if it has attacked a person or another animal, or is deemed at risk of attacking.
Conditions of ownership will apply and an annual fee will be charged. Find information about keeping animals that are declared dangerous.
If you don’t comply with the regulations for a declared dangerous or menacing dog, you can be issued with a compliance notice, a fine or the dog may be seized under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008.
Council also has the ability to issue a destruction order if the dog is seized for non-compliance with keeping conditions.
If your declared dangerous or menacing dog is found wandering, Council will seize and impound it. We’re not required to give the dog back to you and may issue a destruction order.
Declared dangerous and menacing dogs must be kept in approved enclosures at home. The enclosure must not allow the dog to escape and must comply with permit conditions.
You should report any sightings of wild dogs. They can be dangerous to people, pets and wildlife. A wild dog is any free-ranging dog without an owner, including:
You can report a wild dog and other invasive species using the online form.
