Dunwoody, GA Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

Section 6-22(a) makes it "the duty of the owner and/or animal facilitator of a dog or cat adopted from DeKalb County or any other adoption agency to have the dog or cat sterilized." The code sets two deadlines tied to age at adoption: puppies and kittens must be sterilized by a licensed veterinarian within six months of the adoption date, while adult dogs and cats get only 30 days. The duty runs to whoever facilitated the adoption as well as the owner, so a rescue placing an animal shares responsibility for tracking compliance.

Section 6-22(b) adds a second, independent trigger: any dog or cat a court of competent jurisdiction formally classifies as a "potentially dangerous animal" or "dangerous animal" under Section 6-15 must also be sterilized by a licensed veterinarian, within 30 days of the court's final classification order. That sits alongside the animal's other post-classification duties under Section 6-16 and 6-17, including microchip identification, a $25,000.00 insurance policy or surety bond, and secured confinement. Written evidence of sterilization is one of the items DeKalb County requires before issuing the annual certificate of registration that lets a dangerous or potentially dangerous animal be released back to its owner.

Dunwoody does not require sterilization of every pet in the city; an intact animal that was not adopted through an agency and has never been declared dangerous is not itself a violation of Section 6-22.