10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Chatham County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Chatham County's animal code forbids livestock and domestic fowl from running at large. Keeping backyard chickens and small livestock in the unincorporated county is governed by the Chatham County-Savannah zoning ordinance, which a 2018 amendment opened to limited backyard flocks.
Chatham County Code § 22-103(a)
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any livestock or domestic fowl to permit the same to run at large within Chatham County or to keep the same in any manner in any street or public place.
In unincorporated Chatham County, dogs must stay under manual control of a person. A dog off-leash on public roads, in parks, or on another's property is 'at large' and unlawful. Single-point tethering is banned; only a trolley system qualifies.
Chatham County Code § 22-103(b)
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog to permit the same to run at large. At large means any dog which is not under manual control of a person, and which is on any public roads of this state or on any property not belonging to the owner of the animal.
Georgia and Chatham County do not ban any dog breed. Instead, a dog is regulated by its behavior: it can be declared a 'dangerous' or 'vicious' dog under O.C.G.A. § 4-8-21, triggering strict confinement, muzzle, insurance, and registration duties.
Chatham County's animal-control chapter sets no beekeeping rule. Hive-keeping is allowed under the Chatham County-Savannah zoning ordinance, which a 2018 amendment opened to limited residential beekeeping. Honeybees are also protected under Georgia's Bee Law (O.C.G.A. Title 2, Chapter 14).
Chatham County defines 'exotic animal' broadly to include wildlife and large reptiles or mammals. Complaints about exotic pets, wild, or protected species are referred to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, not handled as ordinary domestic pets.
Chatham County Code § 22-201(a)(3)
Exotic Animal - The word "exotic animal" shall mean any vertebrate animal ordinarily confined to a zoo, or one that would normally be found in the wild. This includes, but is not limited to, all carnivorous wildlife, monkeys, raccoons, squirrels, ocelots, hybrids of wild felines, wolves, hybrid wolves, and mammals and non-venomous reptiles weighing over 50 pounds.
Chatham County's animal-control chapter sets no specific wildlife-feeding ban. Wild, game, and protected species are handled by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Coastal Chatham does restrict beachfront lighting that harms nesting sea turtles.
Chatham County's animal ordinance covers horses, cows, goats, swine, and fowl and bars them from running at large. Where and how many livestock you may keep is set by the county's zoning ordinance, and Georgia's Right to Farm law protects established agricultural operations.
Chatham County Code § 22-105(a)
The provisions of the Animal Control Ordinance within the boundaries of Chatham County shall apply to the following: any non-human living vertebrate creature, including, but not limited to, dogs, cats, horses, cows, goats, swine, guineas, rabbits, fowl, chickens, peacocks, geese, and ducks.
Chatham County has no standalone hoarding statute, but it curbs hoarding through hard numeric pet limits (8 cats, 6 dogs per acre) and its cruelty/neglect provisions, which bar failing to provide adequate food, water, space, shelter, and sanitary conditions.
Chatham County Code § 22-212(a)
No person who is the owner or custodian of any single-family residence which is zoned for single family residences shall have greater than eight (8) cats, unless all animals are permanently confined to the actual living space of the family residence.
In single-family residential zones, Chatham County caps ownership at 6 adult dogs (over 1 year) per acre and 8 cats, unless the animals are permanently confined to the home's living space. Litters under four months old don't count.
Chatham County Code § 22-212(b)
No person who is the owner or custodian of any single-family residence which is zoned for single family residences shall have greater than 6 adult dogs over 1 year of age per acre.
Any cat allowed outside a Chatham County residence must be spayed or neutered. A cat deemed a nuisance to neighbors may be trapped and taken to Animal Services as an at-large animal. Households are limited to 8 cats.
Chatham County Code § 22-104(a)
Any cat that resides in a residence but is allowed outside of said structure must be spayed or neutered.
1 cities in Chatham County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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