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Lubbock council adopts amended dangerous-dog ordinance, keeps $1 million liability requirement
Summary
After public comment from owners who said $1 million coverage is hard to find, the council voted 4–3 on Dec. 2 to adopt an amended ordinance requiring $1 million liability insurance for dogs designated dangerous and adding an explicit muzzle requirement for dogs off the owner’s property.
The Lubbock City Council on Dec. 2 approved an amended ordinance updating how the city regulates dangerous dogs, retaining a $1,000,000 liability-insurance requirement and adding a muzzle requirement for dogs when off their property.
The ordinance was on second reading. Two residents who own dogs classified as dangerous—Laura Hopper and Madeline Hopper—spoke during public comment, telling the council they struggled to find coverage at a $1,000,000 level and saying higher premiums would be burdensome. Madeline Hopper said her family had obtained a standalone policy at the current $250,000 requirement only by using an out-of-state insurer and argued that raising the insurance to $1,000,000 "would make compliance impossible for most" similarly situated families.
City risk-management staff told council they had solicited quotes and worked with policy writers; they reported typical liability-policy ranges for $1,000,000 coverage of about $1,500 to $3,500 per year, though they said there were outlier quotes that were much higher. As Risk Management staff stated, "Typically, insurance policies for 1000000 dollars of liability insurance for a dangerous dog range from 1,500 to $3,500 per year." A staff member also said one market quote the city saw could reach $20,000 in a year for particularly high-risk situations.
Council debated postponing the ordinance to gather more information. Councilmember Dr. Wilson argued against delay and said the council had already considered the issue thoroughly; he also moved to approve the ordinance with an amendment to require muzzling dogs when off the owner's property. The motion to adopt the ordinance as amended carried 4–3.
The adopted ordinance keeps other owner responsibilities: sterilization, secure enclosure requirements (including a fenced enclosure with a cemented bottom and a top), permit signage, leash and restraint rules when a dog is in public, and an annual $200 dangerous-dog permit fee. Staff noted that existing permits will remain valid through the life of the permit and that enforcement typically allows a grace period for owners to comply after formal publication and effective-date processes conclude.
What happens next: City staff will publish the ordinance as required; staff said publication and the statutory waiting period mean enforcement of insurance provisions would not be immediate and that typical practice provides additional enforcement grace to allow owners time to obtain coverage.
Reporting note: where the transcript records differing premium anecdotes, the article reports both the residents’ accounts and the staff-quoted industry ranges rather than choosing one figure as definitive.
