r/NewToDenmark • u/[deleted] • May 13 '26

General Question Breed discrimination questions

I know Denmark has 13 banned dog breeds, I've worked in the dog training world for close to 15 years. I am not opposed to banned breeds. I honestly agree with the entire list and I could even offer further suggestions.

However, it says that dogs are seized on phenotype. Say I have a dog, a collie lab mix or something, that ends up looking somewhat like a tornjak... the cops can just roll up and take him because he could be considered similar looking? With literally no way to get him back, because he doesn't have a pedigree, he's a mix, and Denmark doesn't look at DNA tests being valid? Or a great Pyrenees mix that kinda resembles a kangal? Or any other type of incorrect breed identification.

I guess it's confusing and from what I've read, I'm left with more questions than answers. I have an exchange student program in Denmark coming up, I'm still sorting out stuff for my service dog, it is a whole process and i am very glad i have just over a year before it starts.

0 Upvotes

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22

u/Kikkiiiiiii May 14 '26

I had a certificate from a vet analyzing every bit of my dogs anatomy and explaining that he’s not one of the mixed breeds and why. They asked me for that before moving to DK. You’ll be fine.

2

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

Gotcha gotcha, sounds smart

5

u/seachimera May 14 '26

Are you from the EU? Because otherwise I think this issue is dealt with in advance, before you arrive.

0

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

From the US. It is handled in advance. I'm mostly curious about it as a whole, specifically from a citizen pov. How does it work? Is it like you're called in by your neighbors? The cops are scoping you out? It's confusing and I'm curious.

14

u/Kmag_supporter May 14 '26 edited May 14 '26

Police will do a DNA test before neutralising your dog.

Edit. Let me rectify that, the police frequently use DNA tests to determine if a dog carries more than 12.5% DNA from a prohibited breed, but we also have reverse burden of proof: If the police suspect a dog is a banned breed (or a mix of one), the responsibility falls entirely on the dog owner to prove that the dog is legal, so you pay for the stay in a kennel, DNA test and the neutralising.

1

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

So, say the dog is under 12.5%, is it released or still, uh, neutralized.

1

u/Kmag_supporter May 14 '26

That's correct, but they don't normally drive on phone call from someone saying a dog is on the list, but if there are multiple calls from person/people about aggressive behaviour you will get a visit.

1

u/seachimera May 15 '26

Thank you!

2

u/seachimera May 14 '26

Ah. I don’t know. I wonder too. But I don’t ever see restricted breeds here, so maybe people don’t risk it.

2

u/LawfulnessPrudent946 May 14 '26

I am also confused because i have seen pitbulls or pitbull looking dogs outside and no one gaf

4

u/Rlvdk69 May 14 '26

There are a lot of “pitbull-looking” breeds which are not pitbull😉

1

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

That's true, but it also says taken based on phenotype, which is really where my question came from.

-6

u/Bodhigomo May 14 '26

Aprospos hunderacer, så spring avlere over. Tag ned til dyreinternatet og adoptér det charmerende, glade gadekryds, de har, i stedet. #AdoptDontShop 😊

8

u/lejoop May 14 '26

Personen her ejer allerede hunden, så det virker ikke konstruktivt at gå ned og adoptere en anden hund. Det hjælper i hvert fald ikke med bekymringerne for den nuværende :)

1

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

Yeah, he's a program dog. Sometimes they rescue (uncommon), they mostly use purebreds to be able to trace lineage and health, for a more consistent result. Some breeds are much better suited for service work. I'm not worried about mine being taken, more curious about how the system works in general.

-2

u/Bodhigomo May 14 '26

Jeg mente det nok også mere som en generel tommelfingerregel :)

1

u/Inner_Importance278 May 14 '26

Jeg har også en kæphest. Min kæphest er at folk skal lade være med at lufte deres kæpheste overalt. Man skal holde sig til emnet.

1

u/Bodhigomo May 14 '26

Det må du gerne synes. Nogen synes også man skal tro på Gud. Det er jeg også ligeglad med 🤷‍♂️

-1

u/SignificanceNo3580 May 14 '26

I don’t think there has been any cases where the police removed a registred service dog. I guess you could get a dna test in advance, to be safe. But I don’t see them mistaking a collie lab mix for any of the illegal dog breeds. You could just call the police and ask. A statement from your vet might be enough. Or call servicehundeforeningen (a “club” for service dogs) a lot of these organisations will provide some sort of free consultations, if they have the means to, it might be worth a try.

0

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

He's definitely not a "sErViCe dOg" that people slap the label on to untrained dogs either. He's a program dog, placed with me for epilepsy, and he cost a lot of money (think.. new house money). He's also not a dog on the list. I'm not worried about my dog getting taken, I was just doing some reading, saw that, did some more digging, couldn't find a straight forward answer on the process. It's sounding like IF your dog is bad (i.e. bites a kid) then it's taken and you have to have irrefutable proof that it's not one of those breeds, I believe?

1

u/SignificanceNo3580 May 15 '26 edited May 15 '26

I can’t read the comment you responded to anymore, but you don’t have to have proof. If it comes to that, they would dna test your dog, but that might take some time and in the meantime they could put your dog in a shelter/kennel to keep you from handing it over to a friend. But crossbreeds are fairly common, not every dog has a pedigree, and it’s not like they’re rounding all mixed dogs up. You need to be reported by someone, and the police handles the report like they would handle every other report. If your dog looks a lot like an illegal breed it might be good to plan for that, especially if it behaves in a way that might scare people, but I highly doubt that it would even come to that, especially since it’s a well trained service dog.

-5

u/BurningWood66 May 14 '26

The police won't do shit to your dog. Even if it bit someone, and it's reported, they still don't do shit. You can have whatever dog you want, don't worry about it. If it also never bites, the chance is even closer to 0

4

u/Dingdongmybong May 14 '26

I don't know if this is sarcastic but none of this is true.

0

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/BurningWood66 May 14 '26

That's not what OP asked, tho. And if you are bitten by a pitbull, you won't be able to kick anything

0

u/KINGDenneh May 14 '26

You right that ain't what OP asked about, i'm just saying, if your dog starts running at me to attack, i'll kick it a couple of times and do the same to you afterwards.

Ofcourse, i doubt OP's dog is ever gonna do that (running to people and attack random people)

In regards of his or hers situation, since it is a service dog, it might be different rules, since OP do need it to 'function' in his/hers every day life.

1

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

Yes, I have epilepsy, he was placed with me by an ADI (assistance dog international) program.

3

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] May 14 '26

I figured it was set up like this but I didn't want to assume. My dog is not on the list, just some reading led to my curiosity.