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DeKalb County, GA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Governing law
DeKalb County Code § 5-15
Coverage
Unincorporated DeKalb County only
Approval needed
Police chief's prior written approval
Proof required
Photographic proof of adequate restraint
Max penalty
$1,000 fine or 120 days jail
Enforcement
DeKalb County Police Department

Summary

Unincorporated DeKalb County bans owning, keeping or housing a hazardous animal, defined as one that can poison humans or, by size and feeding habits, prey on them, unless the police chief issues prior written approval based on photographic proof of adequate restraint. Cities inside the county enforce their own codes instead.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of DeKalb County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

No person shall own, keep, harbor, house, or permit to be kept, harbored or housed, a hazardous animal within unincorporated DeKalb County, unless granted prior written approval from the police chief. Written approval may be granted upon presentation of photographic proof that the animal will be kept adequately restrained or confined as is common for the species.

Source: Dekalb County Municipal CodeView official code

Full Breakdown

DeKalb County Code § 5-15 makes it unlawful for anyone to "own, keep, harbor, house, or permit to be kept, harbored or housed, a hazardous animal within unincorporated DeKalb County" without the police chief's prior written approval. The chief may grant that approval only "upon presentation of photographic proof that the animal will be kept adequately restrained or confined as is common for the species," so the burden is on the owner to document containment before acquiring the animal, not after a complaint. Section 5-1 defines a "hazardous animal" as "an animal that may be harmful to humans or other animals by virtue of its ability to produce poison or, due to its size and feeding habits, could prey on humans as a food source," expressly naming "pit vipers (genus Crotalidae), coral snakes (genus Micrurus), poisonous spiders, frogs, large reptiles, Nile monitors, caiman, alligators, crocodiles, and large constricting snakes greater than ten (10) feet in length" as examples.

The rule sits inside Chapter 5's broader animal-control scheme, enforced by DeKalb County Police Department animal enforcement officers rather than a separate wildlife agency. Because Chapter 5 governs only unincorporated territory, a resident of Decatur, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Tucker, Stonecrest, Chamblee, Doraville, Clarkston, Avondale Estates, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain, or the sliver of Atlanta inside the county line follows that city's own code, not this section.

Violations & Fines

Keeping a hazardous animal without written approval violates Chapter 5 under Sec. 5-28(a) and is punished under the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-10: up to a $1,000 fine, up to 120 days in the county jail, or both, when a citation is personally served, and each day the animal remains unapproved counts as a separate offense. Officers may also impound any animal believed to pose a public threat under Sec. 5-28(b).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep a pet alligator in unincorporated DeKalb County?
Only with the police chief's prior written approval under Sec. 5-15. Alligators are named as hazardous animals in Sec. 5-1, so you must submit photographic proof the animal will be restrained or confined as is common for the species before the chief will approve keeping it; owning one without that approval is a chargeable violation.
What counts as a "hazardous animal" under DeKalb County's code?
Sec. 5-1 defines it as any animal that can poison people or, by its size and feeding habits, could prey on humans. The section lists pit vipers, coral snakes, poisonous spiders, large reptiles, Nile monitors, caiman, alligators, crocodiles and constricting snakes over ten feet as examples, though the list is not exhaustive.
Does this rule apply inside Decatur or Dunwoody?
No. Chapter 5 of the DeKalb County Code governs unincorporated territory only. Decatur, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Tucker, Stonecrest and the county's other cities enforce their own animal ordinances, so a hazardous-animal question there goes to the city code, not Sec. 5-15.
What happens if I'm caught with an unapproved hazardous animal?
The police chief can cite you under Sec. 5-28(a) and impound the animal if it's believed to pose a public threat. A conviction is punished under the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-10, which allows a fine up to $1,000, up to 120 days in jail, or both, with each day of violation treated as a separate offense.

Sources & Official References

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All DeKalb County rules

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