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Official Code of Georgia Annotated

Title 4. ANIMALS · Chapter 8. DOGS · Article 2. RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP

4-8-29. Limitations on dog’s presence off of owner’s premises; penalty for violation; defense.

Active

Current through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

  1. (a)

    It shall be unlawful for an owner of a dangerous dog to permit the dog to be off the owner’s property unless:#

    1. (1)

      The dog is restrained by a leash not to exceed six feet in length and is under the immediate physical control of a person capable of preventing the dog from engaging any other human or animal when necessary;#

    2. (2)

      The dog is contained in a closed and locked cage or crate; or#

    3. (3)

      The dog is working or training as a hunting dog, herding dog, or predator control dog.#

  2. (b)

    It shall be unlawful for an owner of a vicious dog to permit the dog to be:#

    1. (1)

      Outside an enclosure designed to securely confine the vicious dog while on the owner’s property or outside a securely locked and enclosed pen, fence, or structure suitable to prevent the vicious dog from leaving such property unless:#

      1. (A)

        The dog is muzzled and restrained by a leash not to exceed six feet in length and is under the immediate physical control of a person capable of preventing the dog from engaging any other human or animal when necessary; or#

      2. (B)

        The dog is contained in a closed and locked cage or crate; or#

    2. (2)

      Unattended with minors.#

  3. (c)

    A person who violates subsection (b) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of high and aggravated nature.#

  4. (d)

    An owner with a previous conviction for a violation of this article whose classified dog causes serious injury to a human being under circumstances constituting another violation of this article shall be guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years, a fine of not less than $5,000.00 nor more than $10,000.00, or both. In addition, the classified dog shall be euthanized at the cost of the owner.#

  5. (e)

    Any irregularity in classification proceedings shall not be a defense to any prosecution under this article so long as the owner of the dog received actual notice of the classification and did not pursue a civil remedy for the correction of the irregularity.#

The notes below are printed with the section but are not enacted law (O.C.G.A. § 1-1-1(c)). They are shown apart from the text.

History

Code 1981, § 4-8-29, enacted by Ga. L. 2012, p. 1290, § 4/HB 685.

Code Commission notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2012, ‘‘or’’ was deleted at the end of paragraph (a)(1) and ‘‘; or’’ was substituted for a period at the end of paragraph (a)(2).

Cross references

Liability of owner or keeper of vicious or dangerous animal for injuries caused by animal, § 51-2-7.

Law reviews

For article on the 2012 enactment of this Code section, see 29 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 180 (2012).

Read the official page (the state's PDF, opened at the page this text was read from).

Current through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Text read from t4-6-(v4)-2013-pdf.pdf, Volume V4, 2013 edition, pages 111 to 112; merge action: annotated; file SHA-256 290d3a1d6843.