Animal Ordinances in Sandy Springs, GA

If you live in Sandy Springs or are thinking about moving there, animal ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Sandy Springs has 6 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of animal ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Exotic Pets

Sandy Springs requires anyone keeping a wildlife or exotic animal to hold all applicable state and federal permits, and it outright bans owning skunks (other than pen-raised ones) and foxes from any region, per Code sections 10-15 and 10-14.

Key details: Permit requirement: State and/or federal permit mandatory. Skunks: Banned except permitted pen-raised. Foxes: Banned from any region. Grandfather date: Animals held before July 1, 1987. General penalty: Up to $500 fine, 60 days jail.

Violating the exotic-animal permit or skunk/fox ban falls under the chapter 10 general penalty in section 10-2: a fine of up to $500.00, imprisonment up to 60 days, or both, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. Unpermitted or loose wildlife and exotic animals are also subject to impoundment under section 10-141(b)(9), and any citizen may capture and surrender a loose exotic animal to the city manager or designee.

Compared to other cities, Sandy Springs takes a harder line on exotic pets. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Pet Limits

Sandy Springs caps most households outside agricultural zones at 10 dogs and cats combined per premises, with separate limits of 75 for rabbits, guinea pigs, or hamsters and 75 for chickens or similar fowl, under Code section 10-16(b)(4).

Key details: Dogs and cats combined: 10 maximum per premises. Rabbits/guinea pigs/hamsters: 75 maximum. Chickens/fowl: 75 maximum. Kennel threshold: 4+ dogs needs special permit. Agricultural zoning: Exempt from the cap.

Exceeding the household pet cap in section 10-16(b)(4) is enforceable under the chapter 10 general penalty in section 10-2, a fine of up to $500.00, imprisonment up to 60 days, or both, with each day of violation a separate offense. Keeping four or more dogs without the special permit required by section 10-6 is independently unlawful, and the city manager or designee enforces both provisions through impoundment and court citation under section 10-3.

Pet Store Rules

Pet shops in Sandy Springs cannot sell dogs or cats outright. City Code § 26-341 bars any pet shop from selling, delivering, bartering, or auctioning dogs and cats, permitting only adoption placements sourced from a licensed animal care facility or a registered 501(c)(3) rescue organization, and no dog or cat may be offered for adoption before it is eight weeks old.

Key details: Retail sale: Banned for dogs and cats. Adoption source: Animal care facility or 501(c)(3) rescue only. Minimum age: 8 weeks before adoption. Recordkeeping: Source records kept 1 year. Penalty: Up to $500 per violation.

Violations are enforced by the city manager, the police chief, or their designee through court citation, per § 26-344. Each dog or cat sold, bartered, auctioned, delivered, or transferred in violation of § 26-341 is a separate offense carrying a fine of up to $500.00. Failing to post the required source-disclosure sign on an individual animal's cage is likewise a separate offense for each animal, and each day of noncompliance is its own additional offense under § 26-343.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Sandy Springs actively enforces its pet store rules requirements.

Chickens & Livestock

Outside agriculturally zoned land, Sandy Springs sets exact setback and floor-space minimums for keeping chickens, ducks, and other fowl or livestock: chicken coops must sit at least 25 feet from any occupied building and give each bird 4 square feet, per Code section 10-16(b).

Key details: Chicken/fowl setback: 25 ft from occupied buildings. Chicken/fowl floor area: 4 sq ft per bird. Hog setback: 900 ft from occupied buildings. Agricultural zoning: Exempt from these limits. General penalty: Up to $500 fine, 60 days jail.

A violation of the chicken/livestock housing, distance, or floor-space standards in section 10-16(b) is punishable under the chapter 10 general penalty in section 10-2: a fine of up to $500.00, imprisonment up to 60 days, or both, with each day of continued violation counted as a separate offense. The city manager or designee also enforces the chapter through impoundment and court citation under section 10-3.

Dog Leash Laws

Sandy Springs bans dogs, livestock, and exotic animals from running at large citywide, exempting only cats. Off the owner's property, a dog must be on a leash no longer than six feet and under the control of a competent handler, per Code section 10-11.

Key details: Leash length limit: 6 feet maximum. Cats: Exempt from at-large ban. Electronic fence: Allowed except for dangerous/guard dogs. General penalty: Up to $500 fine, 60 days jail. Enforcement: City manager/designee, impoundment.

Running-at-large violations fall under the chapter 10 general penalty in section 10-2: a fine of up to $500.00, imprisonment up to 60 days, or both, with each day or instance treated as a separate offense. Any citizen may pick up a loose animal under section 10-141(a) and surrender it to the city manager or designee so the owner can reclaim it, and section 10-141(b)(9) authorizes city impoundment of any dog, domestic animal, livestock, wildlife, or exotic animal roaming at large other than a cat.

Breed Restrictions

Sandy Springs does not ban specific breeds. Instead, the city manager or designee classifies individual dogs as "dangerous" or "potentially dangerous" based on documented bite or attack history, then imposes enclosure, muzzle, insurance, and registration mandates on that dog's owner under Code section 10-102.

Key details: Basis: Behavior-based, not breed-specific. Classification authority: City manager or designee. Insurance/bond (dangerous dogs): $15,000.00 minimum. Annual registration fee: $100.00 plus license fee. Hearing request window: 15 days from notice.

Failing to keep a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog confined or restrained under section 10-101 is unlawful. Under section 10-2, a second offense involving a potentially dangerous dog draws a fine of at least $150.00, rising to $300.00 for a third; dangerous-dog violations carry fines of at least $500.00 (second offense) and $750.00 (third), plus possible jail up to six months. If an owner who ignored section 10-101's precautions has a dog that bites or attacks a human, that owner faces a felony charge with a fine of $1,000.00 to $5,000.00 and one to five years in prison.

Compared to other cities, Sandy Springs takes a harder line on breed restrictions. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Sandy Springs is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 6 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Sandy Springs, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Sandy Springs can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.