--- title: SB 102. Dogfighting; revise provisions collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sb102 cite_as: SB 102, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb102 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb102.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb102/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69979 date: 2025-04-04 status: engrossed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb101.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb103.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 662 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb102.md?full=1 bill_number: SB 102 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-02-20 last_action: House Withdrawn, Recommitted sponsors: - Randy Robertson - Chuck Payne - Chuck Hufstetler - Ricky Williams - John Albers - Ben Watson - Sam Watson - Max Burns - Clint Dixon - Mike Hodges - Marty Harbin - Kay Kirkpatrick - Joseph Gullett text_version: Engrossed has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB102/2025 upstream_id: 1958422 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - animal fighting - cockfighting - dogfighting - animal cruelty law - criminal penalties --- # SB 102. Dogfighting; revise provisions ## Text 25 LC 39 4595S (SCS) Senate Bill 102 By: Senators Robertson of the 29th, Payne of the 54th, Hufstetler of the 52nd, Williams of the 25th, Albers of the 56th and others AS PASSED SENATE A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the O fficial Code of Georgia1 Annotated, relating to gambling, so as to revise provisions relative to dogfighting; to prohibit2 fighting of dogs and game cocks; to prohibit possession or sale of fighting related objects;3 to provide for punishment; to provide for definitions; to amend Code Section 4-8-27 of the4 Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to certificates of registration, requirements for5 issuance of certificate, individuals excluded from receiving re gistration, limitation of6 ownership, and annual renewal, so as to make conforming changes ; to provide for related7 matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for8 other purposes.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10 SECTION 1.11 Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the Official C ode of Georgia Annotated,12 relating to gambling, is amended by revising Code Section 16-12-37, relating to dogfighting,13 as follows:14 "16-12-37.15 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:16 S. B. 102 - 1 - 25 LC 39 4595S (SCS) (1) 'Dog' 'dog' means any domestic canine.17 (2) 'Fighting related objects' means equipment, products, or materials of any kind that18 are used, intended for use, or designed for use in the training , preparation, and19 conditioning of a dog or game cock for fighting or for the furtherance of such act.20 (3) 'Game cock' means a domesticated fowl that is bred, reared , or trained for the21 purposes of fighting with other fowl.22 (4) 'Minor' means any individual under the age of 18 years.23 (b) Any person who:24 (1) Owns, possesses, trains, transports, or sells any dog with the intent that such dog shall25 be engaged in fighting with another dog;26 (2) For amusement or gain, causes any dog to fight with another dog or for amusement27 or gain, causes any dogs to injure each other;28 (3) Owns, possesses, trains, transports, or sells any game cock with the intent that such29 game cock shall be engaged in fighting with other fowl;30 (4) For amusement or gain, causes any game cock to fight with other fowl or for31 amusement or gain, causes any game cocks to injure each other;32 (3)(5) Wagers money or anything of value on the result of such dogfighting dog or game33 cock fighting;34 (4)(6) Knowingly permits any act in violation of paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection35 on any premises under the ownership or control of such person or knowingly aids or abets36 any such act; or37 (5)(7) Knowingly promotes, or advertises, or charges an admission fee for an exhibition38 of dog or game cock fighting with another dog 39 in violation of this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and, upon the first conviction40 thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than one nor more than five years,41 a fine of not less than $5,000.00, or both such fine and impris onment. On a second or42 subsequent conviction, such person shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than one43 S. B. 102 - 2 - 25 LC 39 4595S (SCS) nor more than ten years, a fine of not less than $15,000.00, or both such fine and44 imprisonment. The court, as part of the sentence, may prohibit the offender from owning,45 possessing, or exercising control over any animal within the sp ecies for which the46 conviction is based. Each act in violation of this subsection shall constitute a s eparate47 offense.48 (c) Any person who is knowingly present only as a spectator or who causes or permits a49 minor to be present at any place for the fighting of dogs or game cocks shall, upon a first50 conviction thereof, be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and ag gravated nature. On a51 second conviction, such person shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by52 imprisonment of not less than one nor more than five years, a f ine of not less than53 $5,000.00, or both such fine and imprisonment. On a third or subsequent conviction, such54 person shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than one nor more than ten years, a55 fine of not less than $15,000.00, or both such fine and imprisonment. Each act in violation56 of this subsection shall constitute a separate offense.57 (d) Any dog or game cock subject to fighting may be impounded pursuant to the58 provisions of Code Sections 4-11-9.2 through 4-11-9.6.59 (e) Any person who knowingly possesses, purchases, or sells fighting related objects with60 the intent that such objects be used in promoting, facilitating , training for, or otherwise61 participating in an exhibition of dog or game cock fighting sha ll be guilty of a62 misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.63 (f) This Code section shall not prohibit, impede, or otherwise in terfere with animal64 husbandry, training techniques, competition, events, shows, or practices not otherwise65 specifically prohibited by law and shall not apply to the following activities:66 (1) Owning, using, breeding, training, or equipping any animal to pursue, take, hunt, or67 recover wildlife or any animal lawfully hunted under Title 27 or participating in hunting68 or fishing in accordance with the provisions of Title 27 and ru les and regulations69 S. B. 102 - 3 - 25 LC 39 4595S (SCS) promulgated pursuant thereto as such rules and regulations existed on the date specified70 in Code Section 27-1-39;71 (2) Owning, using, breeding, training, or equipping dogs to wo rk livestock for72 agricultural purposes in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commissioner73 of Agriculture as such rules and regulations existed on January 1, 2008;74 (3) Owning, using, breeding, training, or equipping dogs for law enforcement purposes;75 or76 (4) Owning, using, breeding, training, or equipping any animal to control damage from77 nuisance or pest species in and around structures or agricultural operations."78 SECTION 2.79 Code Section 4-8-27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to certificates of80 registration, requirements for issuance of certificate, individ uals excluded from receiving81 registration, limitation of ownership, and annual renewal, is a mended by revising82 paragraph (2) of subsection (f) as follows:83 "(2) The felony of dogfighting or game cock fighting as provided for in Code84 Section 16-12-37 or the felony of aggravated cruelty to animals as provided for in Code85 Section 16-12-4; or"86 SECTION 3.87 This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law88 without such approval, and shall apply to all offenses committed on or after the effective date89 of this Act.90 SECTION 4.91 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.92 S. B. 102 - 4 - ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate bill would expand the state's dogfighting law to also cover game cock fighting, banning the fighting, breeding, and betting on gamecocks the same way dogfighting is already banned, and would criminalize possessing gear made for animal fighting. ### Plain-language summary Georgia law already makes dogfighting a felony. This bill rewrites that law (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-37) to add game cocks, roosters bred and trained to fight other birds, to the same set of bans that apply to dogs. It becomes a felony to own, train, transport, or sell a game cock intending it to fight, to stage or bet on cockfights, or to knowingly let cockfighting happen on your property. The bill also creates a new definition for 'fighting related objects,' meaning gear made or used to train or condition animals for fighting, and makes it a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature to knowingly possess, buy, or sell such gear intending it be used for dog or cockfighting. Spectators and anyone who brings a minor to a dog or cockfight also face escalating criminal penalties. A related section updates Georgia's animal control officer certification law to bar people convicted of dogfighting or 'game cock fighting' felonies from getting certified. The changes take effect once the Governor signs the bill and apply to offenses committed afterward. ### What it does - Extends Georgia's dogfighting felony law to also cover game cock fighting, applying the same bans on owning, training, transporting, or selling animals for fighting. - Creates a new misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature for knowingly possessing, buying, or selling gear intended for use in dog or cockfighting, defined as 'fighting related objects.' - Sets escalating penalties for people who are spectators at, or who bring a minor to, dog or cockfighting: a misdemeanor on first offense, rising to felony imprisonment and fines on later offenses. - Keeps existing felony penalties for staging, betting on, or profiting from dog or cockfighting: 1 to 5 years and a $5,000 minimum fine on a first conviction, 1 to 10 years and a $15,000 minimum fine after that. - Updates Georgia's animal control officer certification law (O.C.G.A. § 4-8-27) so a felony conviction for game cock fighting, not just dogfighting, blocks someone from getting certified. - Keeps existing exceptions for hunting, herding livestock, law enforcement dog training, and pest control activities. ### Who it affects People who own, train, breed, or bet on fighting dogs or game cocks; spectators at animal fighting events, especially those who bring minors; sellers of animal fighting gear; and people applying to become certified animal control officers in Georgia. ### Why it matters Game cock fighting, which was not previously named alongside dogfighting in this statute, would now carry the same felony penalties as dogfighting, including prison time and fines up to $15,000 for repeat offenses. People who sell or keep specialized cockfighting or dogfighting equipment could also face new criminal charges. ### Key provisions - Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 16-12-37 to add 'game cock' and 'fighting related objects' as defined terms alongside 'dog' and 'minor.' - Section 1(b) makes owning, training, transporting, or selling a game cock for fighting, or betting on or promoting cockfights, a felony with the same penalty structure as dogfighting. - Section 1(b) sets felony penalties of 1 to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of at least $5,000 for a first conviction, rising to 1 to 10 years and at least $15,000 for later convictions. - Section 1(c) applies escalating spectator and minor-presence penalties, misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature first, then felony, to dog or cockfighting events. - Section 1(e) makes knowing possession, purchase, or sale of fighting related objects intended for dog or cockfighting a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. - Section 1(f) preserves exemptions for lawful hunting, agricultural livestock work, law enforcement dog training, and pest control. - Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 4-8-27 so a felony conviction for 'game cock fighting,' as well as dogfighting, disqualifies someone from animal control officer certification. - Section 3 sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the bill, applying to offenses committed on or after that date. ## Status - Status: Engrossed (2025-02-20) - Last action: House Withdrawn, Recommitted (2025-04-04) - Sponsors: Randy Robertson, Chuck Payne, Chuck Hufstetler, Ricky Williams, John Albers, Ben Watson, Sam Watson, Max Burns, Clint Dixon, Mike Hodges, Marty Harbin, Kay Kirkpatrick, Joseph Gullett - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69979 > The history, votes, and amendments (662 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb102.md?full=1