Volusia County has a list of dangerous dogs. Is there one in your area?

To help people stay safe, Volusia County keeps a list of dangerous dogs.

They include a variety of breeds and sizes, including Peanut, a miniature pinscher in Port Orange; Brie, a lab and poodle mix in DeLand; and Bentley, a great Dane in Ormond Beach.

“We don’t classify any breed as particularly aggressive,” Volusia County Public Protection Director Randa Matusiak said.

Instead, the county’s designation is based on behavior.

There were 19 dogs on the list as of June 18, and two of those were listed as missing. The list is updated after a new dangerous dog is designated, Matusiak said.

Dangerous dog owners should notify the county if their dog dies or if they move away, Matusiak said.

Dangerous dog laws have been in focus in Volusia County since Michael Millett III died in January after being attacked by a pit bull and a mixed-breed dog north of DeLand. The dogs that killed him had not been deemed dangerous before the attack. The county euthanized them.

How is a dog deemed dangerous in Volusia County?

According to Volusia County Animal Services, guidelines for deeming a dog dangerous include if a dog:

• “without provocation, aggressively bitten, attacked, or endangered a human being, or has inflicted severe injury on a human being on public or private property”
• “has more than once, without provocation, severely injured or killed a domestic animal while off the owner’s property”
• “has been used primarily, or in part, for the purpose of fighting or is a dog trained for dog fighting”
• “or has, without provocation, chased or approached a person upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public grounds in an aggressive, menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, provided that such actions are attested to in a sworn statement by one or more persons, and dutifully investigated by the appropriate authority.”

If a dog is defending itself from abuse or defending a person from an “unjustified attack”, it won’t be deemed dangerous.

If Animal Services plans to declare a dog dangerous, the county will notify the owner in writing.

The owner can then appeal the designation, and a hearing would be held. If the dangerous dog designation still moves forward, the owner can appeal to the County Court.

If the owner keeps the dog, the owner has to follow the county’s dangerous dog ownership rules, such as having proper enclosures and carrying liability coverage. The owner could also choose to surrender the dog to Animal Services.

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