If you live with a pit bull, a rottweiler or any other dog classed as potentially dangerous (PPP) in Spain, liability insurance is not optional: it is one of the requirements for the licence that allows you to keep it. But that insurance only covers damage your dog causes to others. When your dog is the one who gets hurt or falls ill, the vet bills are yours.
Here is which dogs count as PPP, what the law asks of you and how to cover both.
Which dogs are considered PPP
Royal Decree 287/2002 lists eight breeds and their crosses: Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu and Akita Inu.
A dog of another breed, or a mixed breed, can also be classed as PPP if it has most of the physical traits the regulation describes (a powerful build, a large head and a weight over 20 kg, among others) or if it has attacked people or other animals. In that case the competent authority decides, based on a vet’s report.
Some regions have their own list. Andalusia, for example, has its own breed annex in Decree 42/2008.
What the law requires
To keep a PPP you need an administrative licence issued by your town hall. The main requirements are:
- Being of legal age.
- No record of certain criminal offences or sanctions for keeping dangerous animals.
- Certificates of physical capacity and psychological aptitude.
- Third-party liability insurance with at least €120,000 of cover.
The licence lasts five years and can be renewed. Your dog must also be entered in the town hall’s register of potentially dangerous animals.
In public, the dog must wear a muzzle and be held on a non-extendable lead or chain shorter than two metres, and each person may only walk one PPP at a time. If the dog is lost or stolen, you must tell the register within 48 hours.
Liability insurance for PPP dogs
This insurance covers injury and damage your dog may cause to other people and their property. It is the policy you need for the licence, and the minimum cover in most of Spain is €120,000. In Andalusia it is €175,000 per claim.
Do not assume you already have it: many home insurance policies and general dog liability policies specifically exclude PPP dogs. Check the conditions before you hand them in at the town hall.
Petplan offers a specific liability policy for PPP dogs (in Spanish), with €150,000 of cover, no excess, for €101.23 a year (taxes included). That is above the €120,000 minimum, but not Andalusia’s: if you live there, you need a policy of at least €175,000.
And who pays the vet bills?
Liability insurance covers nothing that happens to your own dog. If it tears a ligament, needs surgery or develops an illness, the bill is yours. And some of these breeds have well-known health problems, such as hip dysplasia in rottweilers or skin problems in pit bulls.
Petplan’s health insurance covers accidents and illness: it reimburses 100 % of the invoice, up to €3,100 a year, with a €45 co-payment (excess) per illness. You choose whichever vet you want, with no approved network, and you can insure your dog from two months up to seven years old.
They are two separate policies that complement each other: one protects other people from your dog, the other protects your dog.
Fines for not complying
Law 50/1999 treats keeping a potentially dangerous dog without a licence as a very serious offence, with fines from €2,404.06 to €15,025.30. Because the insurance is a requirement for the licence, without it you cannot be fully compliant.
Walking the dog without a muzzle or lead, or not registering it, are serious offences: from €300.52 to €2,404.05.
On top of this, Law 7/2023 on animal welfare extends the liability insurance requirement to all dogs, although that part still depends on a pending regulation. For PPP dogs, it is already mandatory today.
Frequently asked questions
Can my mixed-breed dog be a PPP?
Yes, if it is a cross of one of the listed breeds or has most of the physical traits set out in the law.
Does my home insurance cover my PPP dog?
Rarely. Most home insurance policies exclude potentially dangerous dogs. Check your conditions.
How much does liability insurance for a PPP dog cost?
At Petplan, the specific PPP policy costs €101.23 a year, with €150,000 of cover and no excess. In Andalusia the minimum is €175,000, so that policy is not enough there.
Does Petplan’s health insurance include liability cover?
No. They are separate products: health insurance covers your dog’s vet bills and liability insurance covers damage to others.
How often do I need to renew the licence?
Every five years.
