HB 6318 Summary

• Replaces the term "dangerous animal" with "dangerous dog" and "vicious dog" classifications, narrowing the law's scope to canines and creating two distinct categories based on injury severity.

• Establishes "vicious dog" as a dog that without justification attacks and causes serious physical injury or death to a person, or causes death to another dog; requires clear and convincing evidence at court hearings for this classification.

• Requires owners of dogs declared vicious to microchip, spay/neuter within 15 days, maintain the dog in an approved enclosure, and provide current address information to animal control; violation results in $500 fine and impoundment.

• Creates "dangerous dog" classification for dogs that pose a serious threat or bite without serious injury; requires microchipping, spaying/neutering, and potentially behavior evaluation, muzzling, or supervision as determined by the court; allows impoundment for non-compliance.

• Establishes criminal penalties for violations: misdemeanor for violating vicious dog requirements (up to 90 days, $1,000+ fine, 100+ community service hours) and felony for violating dangerous dog requirements (up to 4 years, $2,000+ fine, 500+ community service hours).