The Process of Declaring a Dog Dangerous
Step 1
A person goes to their Justice of the Peace court and fills out the Dangerous Dog Affidavit to begin the process. The affidavit will ask for the person's information, description of the dog, dog's owner (name and address), and a description of the incident that led the person to believe the dog is dangerous.
Step 2
Justice of the Peace Court gives owner notice of the complaint. The owner, after receiving notification, has 5 days to deliver the animal to HCPH Veterinary Public Health where it will be held until the legal process is completed.
Step 3
Justice of the Peace Court sets a hearing not later than the 10th day after the dog is delivered to HCPH Veterinary Public Health. Owner and complainant are notified.
Step 4
Hearing is held and Judge determines if dog is dangerous according to the definition.
Step 5
If the declaration of dangerous is made, the owner has 30 days to comply with the requirements for keeping a Dangerous Dog, which includes liability insurance and a secure enclosure inspected by HCPH Veterinary Public Health.
If the dog is not declared dangerous, it is released back to the owner.