Macon-Bibb County, GA Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)

Once a dog is classified vicious under Section 5-25's definition, the owner cannot lawfully possess it in Macon-Bibb County without the certificate of registration required by Section 5-28(a). Subsection (c) lists four conditions the dog control officer must confirm before issuing that certificate for a vicious dog: a secure locked enclosure on the owner's property, clearly visible warning signs at every entrance, a microchip with an identification number injected between the dog's shoulder blades and capable of being scanned, and proof of at least $50,000 in general or specific liability insurance covering injury or property damage the dog might cause.

By contrast, a merely dangerous dog only needs the enclosure and signage under subsection (b); the microchip requirement is unique to the vicious classification. Certificates of registration must be renewed annually, and Section 5-28(g) makes the dog control officer verify continuing compliance at each renewal. A second, unrelated microchip trigger exists in Section 5-44(f): anyone applying for an unaltered animal permit, the permit that lets an owner legally keep an unspayed or unneutered dog or cat past six months of age, must first prove the animal has been microchipped before the Animal Welfare Department will issue the permit and license tag.