Chatham County, GA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Sec. A. Sec. 4-8-23, considering incidents on public or private property alike. Sec. 22-302 requires a classified dog be kept in a proper enclosure: a securely locked kennel, doghouse, pen, fence, or structure that keeps young children out and the dog from escaping, with a barrier from exposed ground if it includes a run. Sec. 22-303 sets the registration fee at $150, which includes one required warning sign, with additional signs at $35 each; the owner must also show proof the dog is spayed or neutered, microchipped, and covered by either a $25,000 liability insurance policy or a $25,000 surety bond.

Sec. 22-304 requires that outside its enclosure, a classified dog be muzzled in a way that will not injure it or block its vision or breathing, and restrained on no more than a 6-foot chain or leash under a responsible person's physical control. Sec. 22-305 creates a 3-member Animal Services Hearing Board (a Board of Health representative, the Director of Animal Services or designee, and a citizen selected by the Health Department) to hear classification appeals. Sec. 22-306 lets the Director impose preventative measures short of formal classification, such as fencing repairs, mandatory microchipping, signage, or confinement when the owner is away, based on factors including the presence of children or vulnerable residents and the dog's history. Sec. 22-307 bars anyone from bringing an already-classified dog into the county to reside.