South Fulton, GA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

City Code § 18-1006 prohibits dogs from running at large anywhere within South Fulton's territorial boundaries. Owners, custodians, or harborers must keep a dog on the premises unless it is on a leash of six feet or less and controlled by a competent person, or otherwise restrained by a fence, wall, enclosure, chain, or an electronic confinement collar that stays in continuous working order. Dogs in obedience trials, field trials, dog shows, tracking work, or law enforcement duty are excluded, as are hunting dogs on agriculturally zoned land whose handler carries a valid hunting license and proof of vaccination.

An electronic confinement system cannot serve as either the primary or secondary enclosure for a dog already trained as a guard dog, and any owner cited for violating the leash rule while relying on an electronic system must switch to a fence, wall, enclosure, chain, or physical leash. Enforcement runs through the city manager or an outside entity contracted to provide animal control services on the city's behalf. Under § 18-1010, any citizen may pick up a dog running at large and must promptly surrender it so the owner can reclaim it, and animal control may impound dogs found roaming, unvaccinated, untagged, or otherwise in violation.

Before release, § 18-1011 requires the owner to pay a vaccination fee if unvaccinated, a license fee if unlicensed, an impoundment fee, and a daily boarding fee, all set by the city manager. Impounded animals not claimed within three days may be euthanized. Section 18-1002 sets the general penalty for violating Title 18 as whatever punishment the City Charter and applicable law allow.