In Philadelphia, a dog can be designated as dangerous if it has attacked, inflicted serious injury to, or killed a human being or domestic animal without provocation while off of its own property. In Philadelphia, this designation is made when a police officer files a complaint with a district judge that charges the owner with keeping or harboring a dangerous dog.
If the dog has been designated dangerous, it will be returned to its owner. However, the owner must then register the dog with the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement and re-register each year. The registration fee for owning a dangerous dog is $500 a year plus any additional funds that are established to cover the administrative cost of the registration.
Once deemed dangerous, owners must confine the dog in an enclosed kennel, and must properly muzzle and leash the dog outside of the enclosure. Owners must place signs prominently on the enclosure to warn others of a dangerous dog. The owner must also purchase liability insurance of at least $5,000 and have the animal spayed or neutered and microchipped. The dog owner must inform local officials if the dog is loose, attacks another human, dies, or is sold.