---
title: O.C.G.A. § 4-8-29. Limitations on dog’s presence off of owner’s premises; penalty for violation; defense.
collection: code
id: 4-8-29
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 4-8-29 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/4-8-29
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/4-8-29.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/4-8-29/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t4-6-(v4)-2013-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=8c0a1199_0#page=111
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/4-8.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: ANIMALS / DOGS / RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP
---

# O.C.G.A. § 4-8-29. Limitations on dog’s presence off of owner’s premises; penalty for violation; defense.

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

(3) The dog is working or training as a hunting dog, herding dog, or predator control dog.

(b) It shall be unlawful for an owner of a vicious dog to permit the dog to be:

(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:

(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

(B) The dog is contained in a closed and locked cage or crate; or

(2) Unattended with minors.

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

(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.

(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.

## History

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

## Cross References

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

## 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).

## Law Reviews

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