Glynn County, GA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- Voice command or leash required
- Park leash limit
- 10 feet maximum
- Beach restriction hours
- 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Memorial Day-Labor Day
- Exempt area
- Jekyll Island State Park (obedience rule)
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 60 days jail
Summary
Every dog owner in unincorporated Glynn County must keep the dog under voice command or on a leash under Section 2-4-5(b). Parks cap leashes at ten feet, and dogs are barred from the busiest stretch of St. Simons Island beach between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
b.It shall be a violation of this ordinance for the owner of any dog to fail to command the obedience of a dog, as provided in Section 2-4-3(d), in the unincorporated areas of Glynn County, except for Jekyll Island State Park. ... d.It shall be a violation of this ordinance for the owner of any dog or cat, whether leashed or otherwise, or for the owner of any horse, whether mounted or not, to take such animal onto that portion of the public beaches of St. Simons Island, Georgia, between the northern right-of-way line of Sixteenth Street (East Beach) and the western right-of-way line of Mallery Street ... This restriction shall apply during the hours between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. during the period from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day of any year. ... e.It shall be a violation of this ordinance for the owner of any dog or cat to allow said dog or cat to remain unleashed in Neptune Park, Massengale Park, and all other Glynn County parks. No leash may exceed ten feet in length. ... the violation of such provision shall be punishable as for an ordinance violation punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.00 or imprisonment for up to 60 days or both.
Full Breakdown
Section 2-4-5 of the Animal Control Ordinance is the county's core leash rule. Subsection (b) makes it a violation for a dog owner to fail to command the dog's obedience, as defined by the 'running at large' standard in Section 2-4-3(d), anywhere in the unincorporated county except Jekyll Island State Park. Subsection (e) sets a hard leash limit in county parks: dogs and cats may not go unleashed in Neptune Park, Massengale Park, or any other Glynn County park, and no park leash may exceed ten feet.
The beach rule in subsection (d) is more specific: dogs, cats, and horses, leashed or not, are barred from the stretch of St. from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Outside those hours, owners can bring a dog onto that stretch of beach but must keep it under voice command and immediate control. Subsection (h) also requires owners to immediately remove a dog's waste from that same beach segment and from Neptune, Massengale, and Mallory Parks. A guide dog or other animal assisting a disabled person is exempt from the beach and playground restrictions under subsections (d) and (j).
Glynn County Animal Services and the Glynn County Police Department enforce the section on a complaint basis or on any other basis the police department finds reasonable.
Violations & Fines
Any violation of Section 2-4-5, including letting a dog run at large, exceeding the ten-foot park leash limit, or bringing a dog onto the restricted St. Simons beach stretch during posted hours, is punishable under Section 2-4-15 as an ordinance violation, carrying a fine of up to $1,000.00, up to 60 days in jail, or both. An Animal Enforcement Agent or Glynn County Police Officer can also impound the dog under Section 2-4-7.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I let my dog off-leash on St. Simons Island beach?
How long can a leash be in a Glynn County park?
What's the penalty for an off-leash dog in unincorporated Glynn County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glynn County
Compare Glynn County to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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