Barrow County, GA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Basis
- behavior, not breed (Sec. 14-111)
- Registration
- annual certificate required (Sec. 14-117)
- Insurance
- $150,000 dangerous / $300,000 vicious
- Leash
- max 6 feet, muzzle for vicious dogs
- 2nd-offense fine
- $150 dangerous / $500 vicious
Summary
Barrow County does not ban dogs by breed. Instead Sec. 14-111 classifies a dog as "dangerous" or "vicious" by what it actually does: a bite that breaks skin without serious injury, an aggressive attack that puts someone in reasonable fear of serious injury, or killing a pet off the owner's property. A dog causing broken bones or disfiguring lacerations is instead classified vicious.
Dangerous dog means any dog that: (1)Causes a substantial puncture of a person's skin by teeth without causing serious injury; provided, however, that a nip, scratch, or abrasion shall not be sufficient to classify a dog as dangerous under this subparagraph;(2)Aggressively attacks in a manner that causes a person to reasonably believe that the dog posed an imminent threat of serious injury to such person or another person although no such injury occurs; provided, however, that the acts of barking, growling, or showing of teeth by a dog shall not be sufficient to classify a dog as dangerous under this subparagraph; or(3)While off the owner's property, kills a pet animal; provided, however, that this subparagraph shall not apply where the death of such pet animal is caused by a dog that is working or training as a hunting dog, herding dog, or predator control dog. ... Vicious dog means a dog that inflicts serious injury on a person or causes serious injury to a person resulting from reasonable attempts to escape from the dog's attack.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 14-111 defines "dangerous dog" as one that causes a substantial skin puncture without serious injury, aggressively attacks in a way that would make a reasonable person fear serious injury even without contact, or kills a pet animal off its owner's property, with working, herding, and predator-control dogs excepted. A "vicious dog" is one that inflicts "serious injury," defined to include broken or dislocated bones, disfiguring lacerations needing multiple sutures, or injuries requiring plastic surgery or hospital admission. Neither definition turns on breed. Classification follows a due-process track under Sec.
14-116: the animal control officer investigates, classifies the dog, and must notify the owner by certified mail within 72 hours; the owner has 15 days to demand a hearing before the Barrow County Probate Court, and a dog found to have caused serious injury on more than one occasion after a hearing must be euthanized. Once classified, Sec. 14-117 requires an annual certificate of registration, a "proper enclosure," warning signs at every entrance, a microchip, proof of sterilization, and liability insurance of at least $150,000 for a dangerous dog or $300,000 for a vicious dog; no one may hold more than one certificate per household, and convicted violent or drug-trafficking felons are barred from holding a vicious-dog certificate.
Sec. 14-118 requires a classified dog outside its enclosure to be leashed on a line no longer than six feet under an adult's immediate control, and a vicious dog must also be muzzled.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 14-113 makes a vicious-dog violation a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature, with fines of at least $500 for a second conviction and $750 for a third; a dangerous-dog violation is a standard misdemeanor carrying at least $150 for a second conviction and $300 for a third. Sec. 14-119 lets officers immediately confiscate a classified dog for any violation, and a vicious dog involved in a qualifying violation is quarantined and then destroyed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Barrow County ban pit bulls or other breeds?
What do I have to do if my dog is classified dangerous?
Can I appeal a dangerous dog classification?
How must a classified dog be handled in public?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Barrow County
How Barrow County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Barrow County to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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