Clarke County, GA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Athens-Clarke County's leash and animal control rules are at Title 4 (Public Health), Chapter 4-1 (Animal Control), Article 2, Sec. 4-1-2 of the Code of Athens-Clarke County. The ordinance makes it unlawful for any owner of a domestic animal to fail to control that animal at all times. Acceptable forms of control are: on a leash whenever off the owner's property; confined within a vehicle; attended by the owner on the owner's property; or confined in a pen or fenced enclosure. Any tether used to temporarily confine an animal while attended by its owner must be attached to a collar or harness - never wrapped around the neck - and may not be excessively heavy or weighted. The same chapter prohibits letting an animal go onto another person's property without permission, attacking or menacing pedestrians, disturbing the peace by loud, persistent, or habitual barking or howling (which requires complaints from two separate witnesses), and allowing a female dog in heat to roam unconfined. Georgia's statewide Responsible Dog Owners Act / Dangerous Dog Control Law at O.C.G.A. Title 4, Chapter 8 (Sections 4-8-20 et seq.) provides additional authority for classifying dogs as 'dangerous' or 'vicious' after biting or aggressive incidents, with criminal penalties for owners who fail to comply with classification requirements. Athens-Clarke County Animal Services (706-613-3540) is the lead enforcement agency, working in partnership with ACC Police. Athens is a college town with a heavy student renter population; off-leash dog complaints near the UGA campus and downtown are common, and fines escalate quickly for repeat offenses.