Anti-breed-specific legislation laws generally limit what cities, counties, or other local governments may do; they do not necessarily ban a breed statewide or make every local dog rule invalid. The rules differ by state: some broadly prohibit local breed-specific enactments, while others allow limited or conditional approaches. The verified examples below show why a state’s label alone cannot answer whether a particular local rule applies.
What “anti-BSL” means
Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is a law or policy that treats dogs differently because of their breed or perceived breed. It may restrict possession, impose ownership conditions, or classify a dog as dangerous based on breed rather than an individual dog’s conduct. Although “pit bull laws by state” is a common search phrase, these laws can cover breeds or perceived breeds beyond pit bull-type dogs.
In this context, an anti-BSL law usually means a state rule that limits local governments’ authority to adopt breed-specific rules. That is different from a statewide ban on owning a breed. It also does not necessarily prevent a city or county from responding to an individual dog’s bite, attack, or other dangerous conduct under breed-neutral rules.
Verified state examples
This table covers examples supported by the cited statutory materials, not a complete 50-state legal survey. “Not stated” means the cited material does not establish that detail; it does not mean no relevant rule or exception exists.
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| State | Local breed-specific rule | Scope and qualifications | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | Prohibited for local governments | The statute bars enacting, maintaining, or enforcing an ordinance, policy, resolution, or other enactment specific to a dog’s breed or perceived breed. It expressly preserves regulations that apply to all dogs. | South Dakota Codified Law §40-34-16 |
| Florida | Local requirements are permitted, but must not be breed-, weight-, or size-specific | Local governments and public housing authorities may address attacks and impose requirements on owners of dogs that have bitten or attacked. The cited provision says local regulations must not be specific to breed, weight, or size. | 2026 Florida Statutes §767.14 |
| New York | A local dangerous-dog program may not regulate dogs in a manner specific to breed | The provision is part of a larger section that includes a population-related exception. Its interaction with other provisions should be checked before drawing a conclusion about New York City. | New York Agriculture and Markets Law §107(5) |
| Washington | Breed-based local rules are conditional, not categorically barred by the cited provision | A city or county may use breed-based restrictions only if it offers a reasonable exemption process using the AKC Canine Good Citizen test or a reasonably equivalent behavioral test. Qualifying dogs must receive an exemption of at least two years and an opportunity to retest. | RCW 16.08.110 |
| Rhode Island | Breed-specific rules are prohibited under the cited chapter | The provision bars cities and towns from enacting breed-specific rules, regulations, or ordinances under the chapter. The cited text does not establish the scope of provisions outside that chapter. | R.I. Gen. Laws §4-13.1-16 |
| Maine | The cited enacted law excludes breed-specific local rules from the regulation it allows | Public Law Chapter 138 allows municipalities more stringent regulation in the chapter’s subject matter but expressly excludes breed-specific ordinances, laws, or regulations. Because this source is an enacted-law page rather than a current codified section, check the current codification before relying on it. | Public Law Chapter 138, amending 7 MRSA §3950 |
How the approaches differ
Broad prohibition: South Dakota
South Dakota’s wording reaches a range of local enactments and explicitly includes a dog’s perceived breed. That matters because a rule can be breed-based even if it applies to a dog someone believes belongs to a type, rather than a dog with verified pedigree. The statute preserves rules that apply to all dogs, so a breed-neutral local requirement is not barred by that language alone.
Limits on local rules: Florida and New York
Florida’s provision preserves local authority to address attacks and dogs that have bitten or attacked, while restricting the characteristics on which local regulations may be based. New York’s cited provision addresses local dangerous-dog programs and breed-specific regulation, but its population-related exception means it should not be read in isolation when assessing a particular jurisdiction.
Conditional framework: Washington
Washington’s statute sets a route for local breed-based rules rather than imposing a simple across-the-board prohibition. The behavioral-test exemption process is part of the legal condition: the cited text requires a qualifying dog to receive at least a two-year exemption and an opportunity to retest.
Rules tied to a specific chapter: Rhode Island and Maine
Rhode Island’s cited prohibition applies to rules under Chapter 4-13.1. Maine’s enacted-law text similarly addresses what municipalities may regulate within the chapter’s subject matter and excludes breed-specific rules. Chapter-specific wording is a reason to check the full current law rather than assume a provision settles every question about local authority.
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A national map reviewed by DogsBite.org in June 2026 is a starting index, not a substitute for the controlling law. It cautions that preemption may not be absolute and flags possible grandfathering, home-rule exemptions, or limits in statutory wording. Without checking each state’s current primary law and relevant court decisions, an exact count or an unqualified 50-state list would overstate what is established here.
A Michigan House Fiscal Agency analysis of a 2020 proposal illustrates another distinction: the proposal would have restricted local breed-based regulation while preserving authority over dogs determined dangerous or potentially dangerous. A bill analysis describes proposed legislation; it does not establish that the proposal became law, so it is not evidence of current Michigan law.
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How to check a local breed-specific dog rule
- Identify the exact jurisdiction and rule. Find the city, county, or public housing authority involved, then locate the ordinance, policy, or other enactment and the date it took effect.
- Read the state statute itself. Check which governments it covers, what kinds of enactments it reaches, whether “perceived breed” is included, and whether the law is an absolute prohibition or sets conditions.
- Check exceptions and legal developments. Look for grandfather clauses, home-rule provisions, chapter-specific limits, relevant court rulings, and amendments enacted after the version you are reading.
- Separate breed rules from conduct rules. Determine whether the local measure applies because of breed, or instead addresses an individual dog’s bite, attack, or dangerous-dog classification under a breed-neutral process.
- Confirm the current text and date. Use the current official state code and the local government’s current ordinance. For Maine, verify the present codified text rather than relying solely on the enacted-law page cited above.
This is general legal information, not a determination about a particular dog or ordinance. For a dispute, consult the current official texts and a lawyer familiar with the relevant state and local law.
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