Floyd County, GA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Basis for classification
- Behavior-based, not breed-based
- Insurance required
- $15,000.00 policy or surety bond
- Appeal window
- 10 days to request an animal control board hearing
- Outside enclosure
- Must be muzzled and leashed by a responsible person
- Noncompliance
- Immediate confiscation, destruction after 10 days
Summary
Floyd County classifies dogs by behavior, not breed. A dog that inflicts a severe injury without provocation, or that bites or attacks after already being flagged potentially dangerous, is a dangerous dog and its owner must carry $15,000 in insurance or bond, register it, and keep it in a proper enclosure.
Dangerous dog: Any dog that, according to the records of an appropriate authority:(a)Inflicts a severe injury on a human being, without provocation, on public or private property; or(b)Aggressively bites, attacks, or endangers the safety of humans without provocation after the dog has been classified as a potentially dangerous dog and after the owner has been notified of such classification. ... (a)Certificate required. It shall be unlawful for an owner to have or possess a dangerous dog or potentially dangerous dog without a certificate of registration issued by the county in accordance with the provisions of this section. ... (1)Insurance. A policy of insurance in the amount of at least fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00) issued by an insurer authorized to transact business in this state insuring the owner of a dangerous dog against liability for any personal injuries inflicted by the dangerous dog
Full Breakdown
Chapter 2-5, Article III defines the standards in Section 2-5-1: a dangerous dog either inflicts a severe injury on a person without provocation, or bites or attacks after already being classified potentially dangerous and its owner notified. A potentially dangerous dog is one that bites without provocation or behaves aggressively enough to put someone in reasonable fear of injury. Under Section 2-5-40, an animal control officer investigates every dangerous-dog report and, if the dog is classified, mails the owner notice under Section 2-5-41; the owner has 10 days to demand a hearing before the animal control board, which must be scheduled within 30 days and decided within 10 days after that.
Section 2-5-42 bars letting a classified dog outside its proper enclosure unless muzzled and on a substantial leash or chain under a responsible person's control. 00 surety bond plus the annual registration fee set in the fee schedule. The animal control director may inspect the enclosure at random without notice.
Violations & Fines
Section 2-5-43 requires immediate confiscation of a dangerous dog whose owner lacks the required insurance or bond, valid registration, or a proper enclosure, or that is found outside its enclosure unmuzzled. The county returns a confiscated dog once the owner complies and pays confiscation costs; if the owner has not complied within 10 days, the dog is destroyed humanely under Section 2-5-38. General violations of Chapter 2-5 are punished under Section 2-5-11 as provided in Section 2-1-8, and a second offense can also cost the owner the right to keep an animal in the county for up to two years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Floyd County ban specific dog breeds?
Can I challenge a dangerous dog classification?
What insurance does a dangerous dog owner need?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Floyd County
How Floyd County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Floyd County to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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