Dog Owners Responsibilities to Investigators of Animal Control in City of Cumming, Forsyth County, GA

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 help our clients win their demands, we present the following ordinance.

Cumming, Code of Ordinances, Chapter 6. ANIMALS, Article III. DANGEROUS DOGS AND VICIOUS DOGS, § 6-67. Investigations by animal control officer;
Owner’s Responsibilities.

1. Duty to investigate. Upon receiving a report of a dog believed to be subject to classification as a dangerous dog or vicious dog within an animal control officer’s jurisdiction, such officer shall make such investigations as necessary to determine whether such dog is subject to classification as a dangerous dog or vicious dog.
2. Owner’s responsibilities for dog without current valid rabies vaccination. If a dog, without a current and valid rabies vaccination, bites any person, it shall be the duty of the owner having possession and knowledge of such to arrange for and bear the cost of confinement of such dog in a veterinary hospital for a period of ten days in order to observe the dog for rabies. If the veterinary hospital determines the dog to be rabid, then the dog is to be euthanized in an expeditious and humane manner. If the dog is found to not be rabid, such dog may be claimed upon proof of a current rabies vaccination and an enclosure deemed proper by the animal control officer. When the ten-day observation period is satisfied, the owner of such dog shall have 72 hours to claim such dog.
3. Owner’s responsibilities for dog with current valid rabies vaccination. If a dog, with a current and valid rabies vaccination, bites any person, it shall be the duty of the owner, or person having possession of such dog and knowledge of such bite, to confine such dog for a ten-day period in an enclosure deemed proper by the animal control officer.
4. Removal from enclosure after confinement period generally. A dog, which has not been classified a dangerous or vicious dog, may be removed from the proper enclosure restriction after satisfying the requirements of the ten-day confinement period.
5. Continued confinement for dangerous or vicious dog. The owner of a dog, which has been classified a dangerous dog or a vicious dog, must continue confinement of the dog in a proper enclosure as long as the dog is so classified.
6. Refusal to comply. In the event an owner of a dog fails or refuses to abide by this section, the animal control officer is hereby authorized and empowered to confiscate such dog, confine it at the expense of such owner at a veterinary hospital for such time it deems necessary in order to observe whether the dog is rabid. In the event the veterinary hospital determines the dog to be rabid, then such dog is to be euthanized in an expeditious and humane manner

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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.