DeKalb County, GA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 5-10, Dangerous and vicious animals
- Breed-specific?
- No: classification is behavior-based
- Hearing venue
- DeKalb County magistrate court
- Registration deadline
- 30 days after classification order
- Insurance required
- $50,000 (dangerous) / $75,000 (vicious)
Summary
DeKalb County has no breed-specific ban; instead it classifies individual dogs as dangerous or vicious through a police-chief complaint and court hearing process, then imposes registration, insurance, confinement and muzzle requirements.
Pursuant to 1979 Ga. Laws 516, if the police chief learns of the existence of a dangerous animal or vicious animal, the police chief shall then cause a summons to be issued within seventy-two (72) hours requiring the owner of the animal to appear before a judge of the DeKalb County court of competent jurisdiction or magistrate court...to conduct a hearing as to the appropriate classification of the animal. The police chief shall also immediately impound the animal believed to be dangerous or vicious.
Full Breakdown
Under § 5-10, if the police chief learns of a dangerous or vicious animal the owner is summoned to DeKalb County magistrate court for a classification hearing, and the animal is impounded pending that hearing. A classified animal's owner must then obtain an annual certificate of registration (§ 5-12), carry $50,000-$75,000 liability coverage, keep the animal sterilized and microchipped, and confine it in a locked pen. Classification turns on the animal's conduct, not its breed: no breed is named or restricted anywhere in chapter 5.
Violations & Fines
Owners who skip the required certificate of registration face euthanasia of the animal 35 days after classification; a second conviction as a vicious-animal owner can bring court-ordered euthanasia plus a $500+ fine under § 5-28.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does DeKalb County ban specific dog breeds?
What must an owner do once a dog is classified dangerous?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in DeKalb County
How DeKalb County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare DeKalb County to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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