City of Derby

Vicious Animals

Derby does not have a breed ban. We welcome all canine citizens as long as they are well-behaved, well-maintained contributions to the community. Derby does not discriminate based on breed but does have firm expectations for behavior from all of its four-legged citizens and their owners.

Owner responsibility is the key to successful animal ownership in any community. As the pet owner, you alone have the responsibility to choose and maintain a suitable animal and you alone are accountable for the actions of your animal. Before selecting a pet, you should carefully consider the specie or breed of animal that best fits your lifestyle and demands a level of responsibility that you are capable of providing and maintaining.

To decrease the likelihood that your animal will become a danger to the community, you should properly train your animal so that it will be less likely to have the ability to be vicious and/or you can secure your animal from the general public so that it won’t have the opportunity to act out in a “vicious or dangerous” manner.

If the unfortunate should happen and your pet acts out, Derby does have stringent provisions that must be followed. If your animal is or has ever been declared by a judge to be a “vicious” animal based on its behavior, you must:

• License your animal under a special Vicious Animal License (cost: $100);
• Have a microchip inserted for identification purposes;
• Carry a liability insurance policy of $100,000 listing the City as an additional insured;
• Maintain the animal in a secure enclosure at all times and muzzle the animal during necessary trips (i.e. to the veterinarians’); and
• Post a sign on your property alerting others to the presence of a vicious animal.

For more information, check out the following materials:
Vicious Animal Brochure
Vicious Animal Ordinance
Vicious Animal Registration Form

With your conscientious ownership and cooperation, we hope you and your pet(s) will fully enjoy your life in the Derby community.

Questions or comments? Contact the Web Manager.