Animal Ordinances in Houston County, GA (2026)
5 rules for unincorporated Houston County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Houston County bans keeping cattle, horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, goats, sheep or fowl on any property in the unincorporated county unless a county ordinance permits it, per Code Sec. 10-8. Rural R-Ag zoning and the county's five-acre exception are the usual path to legally keep them.
Houston County Livestock and Fowl Rules
Significant RestrictionsHouston County, GA Code of Ordinances § 10-8
It shall be unlawful for any person to raise, keep or permit to be raised or kept on premises that he owns or controls within Houston County any wild nondomestic animal, or any cattle, horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, goats, sheep, or fowl, unless permitted by the ordinances of the county.
Dog Leash Laws
Houston County requires every animal owner to keep their pet under restraint at all times. Sec. 10-9 defines restraint as a hand-held leash, obedience at heel, confinement in a vehicle, a fenced yard in approved zoning, or a properly signed electronic fence.
Houston County Dog Restraint Requirement
Some RestrictionsHouston County, GA Code of Ordinances § 10-9
Sec. 10-9. - Restraint of animals. It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to keep any animal under restraint which is owned by or in the custody or control of such person.
Breed Restrictions
Houston County classifies dogs as potentially dangerous, dangerous or vicious based on documented behavior, not breed, under Code Article III (Sec. 10-101 et seq.). Owners of a classified dog face $300 annual registration, a secure locked enclosure, microchipping, mandatory sterilization and liability insurance.
Houston County Dangerous Dog Classification
Significant RestrictionsHouston County, GA Code of Ordinances § 10-101
Dangerous dog means any dog that: (1)Causes a substantial puncture of a person's skin by teeth without causing serious injury; provided, however, that a nip, scratch, or abrasion shall not be sufficient to classify a dog as dangerous under this subparagraph.(2)Aggressively attacks in a manner that causes a person to reasonably believe that the dog posed an imminent threat of serious injury to s...
Wildlife Feeding
Houston County makes it unlawful to feed stray or feral cats anywhere in the unincorporated county once that feeding causes a nuisance to neighbors or businesses, or creates a condition harmful to public health, safety or welfare, under Sec. 10-26 of the county's Unified Animal Control Ordinance. Animal control officers investigate complaints and can cite the person doing the feeding.
Houston County Bans Nuisance Feral Cat Feeding
Some RestrictionsHouston County, GA Code of Ordinances § 10-26
It shall be unlawful for any person to feed stray and/or feral cats, where such feeding causes a nuisance to neighbors or businesses, or creates a condition contrary to the health, safety and welfare of the community.
Pet Limits
Houston County caps most residential lots at three dogs and three cats under Code Sec. 10-19. Puppies and kittens get a 12-week grace period, and lots of five acres or more, or zoned R-AG, are exempt entirely.
Houston County 3-Dog, 3-Cat Household Limit
Some RestrictionsHouston County, GA Code of Ordinances § 10-19
It shall be unlawful for there to be more than three dogs and three cats on any residential lot subject to the following exceptions: (1)Pet owners in compliance with any prior ordinance limiting the number of dogs and cats shall be allowed to continue to keep said number of animals.(2)A litter of puppies or kittens will be permitted to remain on property for a period of 12 weeks after their bir...
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