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

Sec. 8-3 defines 'wild or exotic animals' broadly to include any wild, hybrid or state-regulated wildlife, and by name lists primates, raccoons, skunks, wolves, squirrels, foxes, leopards, panthers, tigers, lions, lynx, bears, wild rabbits, wild rodents, and reptiles such as crocodiles, alligators, snakes, caiman and gavials; ferrets, miniature pigs, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, chinchillas, llamas, and non-venomous snakes under eight feet are specifically excluded. Sec. § 27-5-6. A new resident or new owner has ten days to register from the date they move into the county or acquire or breed the animal.

Owners must notify animal control before moving a registered animal out of the county, may never let it run at-large and must immediately report any escape, must immediately report any attack on a human, and must notify animal control within 24 hours of transferring ownership, providing the new owner's name, address and phone number. Because this sits in Article III of Chapter 8, general animal-control enforcement, right of entry and penalty provisions (Secs. 8-25 through 8-28) apply, including the county's authority to impound animals and animal control officers' and sheriff's deputies' authority to enter property to investigate.