Bartow County, GA Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- dogs classified dangerous or vicious
- Microchip location
- between the shoulder blades
- Annual registration fee
- $100.00
- Liability insurance required
- at least $50,000.00
- First-offense fine
- $250.00 minimum
Summary
Unincorporated Bartow County requires a scannable microchip only for dogs classified as vicious under the county's dangerous-dog ordinance, implanted between the shoulder blades before Animal Control issues the required certificate of registration. There is no county-wide microchipping mandate for ordinary pet dogs or cats.
(d)Vicious dog. A certificate of registration for a vicious dog shall be issued if the dog control officer determines that the following requirements have been met: ... (5)Microchip identification. A microchip containing an identification number and capable of being scanned has been injected under the skin between the shoulder blades of the dog.
Full Breakdown
Bartow County Code § 14-67 sets the conditions Animal Control must confirm before issuing a certificate of registration for a dog classified as vicious under § 14-66. 00 in liability insurance covering bodily injury or property damage caused by the dog, and bars anyone convicted of a serious violent felony, dogfighting, aggravated cruelty to animals, or certain drug trafficking felonies from holding the certificate. Only one vicious dog is allowed per owner. 00 annual registration fee under § 14-67(g), renewed yearly with proof the enclosure and microchip requirements are still met.
Owners must notify Animal Control within 24 hours if a classified dog escapes, dies, is sold, or is donated, and a vicious dog can only be transferred to a government facility or veterinarian for euthanasia. This microchip mandate applies only to dogs Animal Control has formally classified as dangerous or vicious under § 14-66, following notice and an opportunity to appeal to the Bartow County Animal Control Board; it is not a general chip-your-pet law for the county's dog and cat population at large.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 14-69 makes it a misdemeanor to violate any classified-dog requirement, including the microchip mandate, with a minimum fine of $250.00 for a first offense and $500.00 for subsequent offenses. Under O.C.G.A. § 4-8-29, a repeat offender whose classified dog then causes a serious injury can be charged with a felony. Animal Control may also confiscate a noncompliant dog under § 14-68 and, absent compliance within 20 days, have it humanely destroyed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bartow County require microchipping for all dogs and cats?
What else does a vicious dog owner need besides a microchip?
What happens if a classified dog isn't chipped or registered?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bartow County
Compare Bartow County to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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