SB 586: "K-9 Law Enforcement Heroes Act of 2026"; enact

Under current Georgia law, when a sheriff impounds livestock found running loose, the owner has three days to redeem the animals before the sheriff must offer them for sale at public auction. If no one bids at the auction, the sheriff currently must have the livestock killed and dispose of the carcass, or give it to a public or charitable institution. This bill changes that process by adding donation as an option at each stage. A sheriff could now donate unclaimed livestock to a nonprofit organization, an individual, or an entity the sheriff believes has the facilities and resources to properly and humanely care for the animals, instead of selling them at auction. If no one bids at a sale, the sheriff could also choose to donate the livestock rather than killing it. The bill updates the required notice forms and redemption rules to reflect this new donation option. Note that despite its title referencing police dogs, the bill's actual text deals only with impounded livestock such as cattle or horses.

• Lets a sheriff donate impounded, unredeemed livestock to a nonprofit, individual, or entity capable of humanely caring for the animals, instead of only auctioning them.
• Adds donation as an alternative to killing livestock when no bidder appears at the public sale required under Georgia's livestock impoundment law (O.C.G.A. § 4-3-7).
• Requires the sheriff's written notice to owners to mention that unredeemed livestock may be donated as well as sold.
• Preserves an owner's right to redeem livestock by paying impoundment costs any time before the livestock is sold or donated.
• Updates gendered pronoun language in the impoundment statutes to include 'or her' alongside 'his.'

County sheriffs and their deputies who handle stray livestock complaints, owners of livestock that gets impounded after running at large, and nonprofit organizations, individuals, or entities that may now receive donated animals from sheriffs' offices.

Stray livestock that goes unclaimed and unsold at auction can now be given to a caretaker instead of being killed, which could reduce animal deaths from impoundment while giving sheriffs more flexibility in handling unclaimed cattle, horses, or other livestock.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 4-3-5 so the sheriff's impoundment notice tells owners livestock may be donated, not just sold, if unredeemed within three days.
• Section 1 also lets a sheriff donate livestock to a qualified nonprofit, individual, or entity in place of holding a public sale.
• Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 4-3-6 to preserve an owner's right to redeem livestock any time before it is donated or sold.
• Section 3 revises O.C.G.A. § 4-3-7 to let a sheriff donate livestock that receives no bidders at auction instead of only being allowed to have it killed.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-04-02Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senate)
2. 2026-03-31House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
3. 2026-03-31House Third Readers (House)
4. 2026-03-27House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
5. 2026-03-10House Second Readers (House)
6. 2026-03-09House First Readers (House)
7. 2026-03-06Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
8. 2026-03-06Senate Third Read (Senate)

• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)Primary sponsor
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Martin Momtahan (R, HD-017)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2026

   51 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #666

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 31, 2026

   166 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #820

3. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 2 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #942

• livestock impoundment
• sheriffs
• animal welfare
• rural law enforcement