Can I keep a banned dog breed in Denmark?
No — the Dog Act bans 13 breeds, and the ban is enforced consistently. The list: pitbull terrier, tosa inu (total ban since 1991) plus American Staffordshire terrier, fila brasileiro, dogo argentino, American bulldog, boerboel, kangal, Central Asian ovcharka, Caucasian ovcharka, South Russian ovcharka, tornjak and šarplaninac (the 2010 list). The ban covers keeping, breeding and importing — and crossbreeds containing any listed breed. The sharpest detail: a reversed burden of proof — if you can't document the dog's breed (pedigree/DNA) when police raise a case, it's treated as banned. The consequence is destruction, so check the papers before taking on a muscular dog from abroad.
📋 The rules
- 13 breeds banned: keeping, breeding, importing (Dog Act § 1a–1b)
- Crossbreeds with banned breeds: banned too
- Reversed burden of proof: the owner documents a legal breed
- Police can order destruction of confirmed banned dogs
- Importing listed breeds — even temporarily — is prohibited
🔓 Exceptions
- Dogs acquired before the bans (2010 transition): effectively expired — almost none remain
- Similar-looking breeds (e.g. Staffordshire bull terrier) are legal — document the breed
- A cross with a banned breed is banned exactly as the pure breed is — even where the other half is legal
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The penalty isn't the fine — it's the dog. Where a banned breed is confirmed, police can order the dog destroyed and the owner fined under the Dog Act; repeat offences carry prison risk in the statute. The reversed burden of proof is what makes these cases so brutal: if you cannot produce a pedigree, a DNA test or other documentation of the breed, the dog is treated as banned. Imports are caught by the same rule, so a dog bought or adopted abroad in good faith can be stopped at the border — and the money is gone along with the dog.
📎 Official sources
- Veterinary and Food Administration · Banned breeds (DA) →
- Dyreportal · The 13 banned breeds (DA) →
- Dyrelivet · Understanding the Dog Act (DA) →
❓ Frequently asked
Which breeds are listed?
Pitbull terrier and tosa inu have been fully banned since 1991. From the 2010 list: amstaff, fila brasileiro, dogo argentino, American bulldog, boerboel, kangal, Central Asian, Caucasian and South Russian ovcharka, tornjak and šarplaninac — plus every cross with them.
My dog looks like an amstaff. What do I do?
Get documentation: a pedigree, a DNA test or anything else that establishes the breed. The burden of proof is yours, and without papers the dog can be treated as a banned breed — with destruction as the possible outcome.
May I transit Denmark with my dogo argentino?
No — importing the banned breeds is unlawful, and the ban covers short stays and transit through the country as well. Leave the dog at home or route around Denmark: the consequence of a police check can be destruction.
Is the Staffordshire bull terrier banned?
No — the "staffie" is legal in Denmark; it is the American Staffordshire terrier that sits on the list. Precisely because the two get confused, you should be able to document the breed if challenged.
What about a crossbreed?
Crosses involving any of the 13 breeds are banned just as the pure breed is. This is where the reversed burden bites hardest: it falls to the owner to document that the dog is not such a cross.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “banned dog breeds denmark”
- “pitbull denmark illegal”
- “dog breed ban list denmark”
- “amstaff denmark law”
- “bring dog denmark banned”
- “crossbreed banned dog denmark”