Dangerous or aggressive dogs
Emergency Ordinance no. 55/2002 – the ownership regime for dangerous or aggressive dogs.
Civil liability
Romanian Civil Code – art. 1375, liability for damage caused by animals.
Animal protection
Law no. 205/2004 – animal protection.
Law no. 258/2013 – identification and registration of owned dogs, microchipping.
Competences of local authorities
Administrative Code – duties of the mayor and local authorities regarding public order.
Management of stray dogs
Emergency Ordinance no. 155/2001 – the legal regime of stray dogs
Government Decision no. 1059/2013 – methodological norms for the application of GEO 155/2001.
Public order and sanctions
Law no. 61/1991 – sanctions for disturbing public order.
Romanian Criminal Code – offences regarding failure to take measures to prevent animal attacks.
Law no. 407/2006 – hunting law.
Legal and moral obligations
Dog owners have legal and moral obligations intended to ensure public safety, the dog’s health, and respect for the environment, regulated by Law 55/2002, Law 205/2004, the Civil Code, as well as local regulations. The main obligations of dog owners remain:
ensuring adequate food, water, and shelter;
monitoring the animal’s state of health;
avoiding cruelty, beatings, or neglect;
ensuring that the animal does not endanger people or other animals;
compensating for damage caused by the dog;
notifying the police and DSVSA in case of bites;
civil liability insurance, use of leash and muzzle in the case of dangerous dogs;
microchipping and registration in RECS;
health booklet with up-to-date vaccinations and deworming.
Shepherd dogs left loose must be under the shepherd’s control. In exceptional cases, at an individual level, a dog from a non-dangerous breed may be considered aggressive, art. 2 GEO 55/2002, when it:
bites without being provoked;
bites or attacks people or domestic animals.
The difference between “aggressive” and “provoked”: the dog is considered “provoked” if a person enters private or public property defended by that dog, or if the person belongs to law enforcement, police or gendarmerie, and is on duty. Even if it does not belong to a dangerous breed, a dog declared aggressive for behavioral reasons is subject to the same obligations as a dangerous dog.
Failure to comply with these requirements turns the dog into a weapon, with potentially dangerous consequences for both people and the dog itself. In this situation, the owner may be liable administratively, civilly, or even criminally.
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