DeKalb County has Enhanced Penalties for Owners of Dangerous Animals

Dog bites can be serious injuries and cause lasting damage – complicated by a significant chance of infection. When considering a personal injury attorney who can represent you in a dog or animal attack, it’s important to find one who is aware of local laws and ordinances. In an effort to stay on top of such differences, we present the following modification from standard Georgia law.

DeKalb County, Georgia – Code of Ordinances
Chapter 5 – ANIMALS, Sec. 5-28. – Violations and enhanced penalties.

Any person who does anything prohibited or fails to do anything required by this chapter, upon citation by the police chief and conviction of the violation in a court of competent jurisdiction may be subject to fine and/or imprisonment in accordance with section 1-10 of this Code. Where any offense or violation continues from day to day, each day’s continuance thereof shall be deemed a separate offense.
A classified animal shall be immediately impounded by any county police officer, code compliance officer or animal enforcement officer if such animal or its owner has violated any of the requirements of this chapter. Any animal, whether classified or not, may be impounded if such officer believes the animal poses a threat to the public.
The owner of a classified animal shall notify the police chief as soon as the owner discovers that the animal is on the loose, unconfined, or has attacked a human or another animal, and failure to so notify the police chief shall be a violation of this chapter by the owner of the animal.
It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person to possess within the county a classified animal without a certificate of registration issued in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
Upon a second or subsequent conviction of any violation of this chapter by the owner of a classified animal, the court may impose a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) in addition to any other penalty or punishment imposed by the court.
Upon a second or subsequent conviction for a violation of this chapter by the owner of a vicious animal, the court may order the animal to be euthanized.
Upon a third or subsequent conviction for a violation of section 5-2(c), the court may impose a fine of not less than three hundred dollars ($300.00) in addition to any other penalty or punishment imposed by the court.
Upon a third or subsequent conviction of a violation of section 5-3, the court shall require the owner to confine the animal in a classified animal pen, irrespective of whether the animal is classified as vicious or dangerous.
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( Ord. No. 15-09 , Pt. I, 12-15-15; Memo. of 2-9-22)

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DISCLAIMER: The information herein is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For any legal matters, we urge you to take the advice of an attorney familiar with your case.

DISCLAIMER: The information herein is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For any legal matters, we urge you to take the advice of an attorney familiar with your case.