HB 331: Animals; prohibit transfer of certain domestic animals at certain locations

Currently, Georgia law does not specifically bar people from selling or giving away dogs, cats, or rabbits in informal outdoor settings like parking lots or flea markets. This bill adds a new section to Georgia's animal protection law (O.C.G.A. Title 4, Chapter 11) making it illegal to transfer these animals for money or other consideration at roadsides, medians, sidewalks, parks, fairs, and flea markets or similar temporary outdoor locations, no matter who might have otherwise allowed the activity. The bill carves out exceptions for licensed animal shelters, transfers happening at a home, veterinary office, or business, sanctioned breed shows and 4-H events, and prearranged sales completed at a police or sheriff's office during daylight hours. Animal control officers and police can enforce the law and seize animals transferred illegally. Violators face fines starting at $100 for a first offense, rising to $250 for a second, and up to $500 for a third or later offense.

• Creates a new Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 4-11-10.1) banning paid or bartered transfers of dogs, cats, and domestic rabbits at roadsides, parking lots, parks, fairs, and flea markets.
• Defines 'transfer' broadly to cover sales, adoptions, rehoming, leases, trades, exchanges, swaps, and barters done for consideration.
• Exempts licensed animal shelters, transfers at homes or businesses, sanctioned breed or 4-H events, and prearranged sales completed at law enforcement facilities in daylight.
• Authorizes animal control officers, sheriffs, deputies, and other peace officers to enforce the law and impound animals transferred in violation of it.
• Sets escalating fines of up to $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second, and $500 for a third or later offense.
• Updates Georgia's general animal-protection penalty statute (O.C.G.A. § 4-11-16) to note that this new section carries its own separate penalties.

People who sell, give away, or trade dogs, cats, or rabbits informally in public places, roadside animal sellers, flea market vendors, animal shelters, veterinarians and pet businesses, breed clubs, 4-H programs, and local police, sheriffs, and animal control officers who would enforce the new rule.

Georgians who currently buy, sell, or rehome pets in parking lots, along roads, or at flea markets would need to do so elsewhere, such as at a shelter, business, or law enforcement facility, or risk fines. The change aims to move informal animal transactions out of open-air, unregulated settings.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 4-11-10.1, defining 'consideration' and 'transfer' and banning paid transfers of dogs, cats, or rabbits at listed outdoor and public locations.
• Subsection (c) lists four exceptions: licensed shelters, transfers at residences or businesses, sanctioned breed/4-H events, and prearranged transfers completed at law enforcement facilities in daylight.
• Subsection (d) gives animal control officers and peace officers authority to enforce the law and impound animals involved in violations.
• Subsection (e) sets fines of $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second, and $500 for a third or subsequent offense.
• Section 2 revises the general penalty statute (O.C.G.A. § 4-11-16) to reference the new Code Section 4-11-10.1 as having its own separate penalty scheme.

1. 2025-07-01Effective Date
2. 2025-05-09Act 81
3. 2025-05-09House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-21Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-21Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2025-03-18Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
8. 2025-03-13Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)

• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)Primary sponsor
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-19)
• Mike Cameron (R, HD-1)
• Kimberly New (R, HD-40)
• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-45)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-24)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   161 yea, 13 nay (3 not voting, 3 excused)

   PASSAGE: House Vote #227

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 21, 2025

   53 yea, 1 nay (1 not voting, 1 excused)

   PASSAGE: Senate Vote #270

• animal welfare
• pet sales
• flea markets
• animal control laws
• consumer protection