Roswell, GA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed restrictions
- None: classification is behavior-based
- Classification
- Vicious, dangerous, or potentially dangerous
- Public leash
- 6-foot max, muzzled when required
- Liability coverage
- $15,000 policy or bond required
- Registration
- Annual, via Fulton County Animal Control
Summary
Roswell has no breed-specific dog ban; it instead classifies individual dogs as vicious, dangerous, or potentially dangerous based on behavior, then requires confinement, warning signage, leashing, and registration.
No person owning or having custody or control of any dog or other animal known by such person to be vicious, dangerous, or potentially dangerous shall permit it to run at large, or permit it to run loose on or within the premises of such person in such a manner as to endanger the life or limb of any person lawfully entering such premises.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
City of Roswell Code § 8.1.22 is breed-neutral: any dog or animal known to be vicious, dangerous, or potentially dangerous may not run at large or run loose so as to endanger anyone lawfully on the premises. Once classified, owners must securely confine the dog in a locked pen or enclosure, post a conspicuous warning sign, and keep it muzzled and on a leash no longer than six feet in public per § 8.1.22(d). Section 8.1.23 sets a written-notice and hearing process for the classification and requires annual registration with Fulton County Animal Control plus a $15,000.00 liability policy or bond for dogs classified dangerous.
Violations & Fines
Confinement or restraint failures are misdemeanors under § 8.1.26; potentially-dangerous-dog violations carry escalating fines from $150, and dangerous-dog violations from $500, up to a high-and-aggravated misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Roswell, Georgia ban pit bulls or other specific breeds?
What must a Roswell owner do once their dog is declared dangerous?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roswell
How Roswell compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Roswell to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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Breed Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle breed restrictions.