LOWNDES COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE

1.        SECTION I.            TITLE                                                                         

1.        SECTION II.          PURPOSE AND INTENT                                                     

2.        SECTION III.         DEFINITIONS                                                                       

2.               a.  Meanings ascribed to this Section                                                                

2.                           1.         Abandoned Animal                                                                            

2.                                       A.  Placed on public property                                                              

2.                                       B.  Placed on private property                                                 

2.                                       C.  On owner’s property unattended in excess of 36 hours.                  

2.                           2.         Adequate Food and/or Water                                                                        

2.                           3.         Adequate Shelter                                                                                

3.                           4.         Animal                                                                                                  

3.                           5.         Animal Control                                                                                  

3.                           6.         Animal Services                                                                                 

3.                           7.         Animal Nuisance                                                                                

3.                           8.         Animal Shelter                                                                                     

3.                           9.         At Heel                                                                                                 

3.                           10.       At Large                                                                                               

3.                           11.       Cat                                                                                                       

3.                           12.       Certificate of Registration                                                                   

3.                           13.       Commission                                                                                         

3.                           14.       County                                                                                                            

3.                           15.       Cruelty                                                                                                 

4.                           16.       Dangerous Dog                                                                                    

4.                           17.       Disposition                                                                                           

4.                           18.       Dog                                                                                                      

4.                           19.       Domestic Animal                                                                                  

4.                           20.       Equine                                                                                                  

4.                           21.       Exotic Animal                                                                                                  

4.                           22.       Georgia Dangerous Dog Control Law                                                

5.                           23.       Governing Authority                                                                         

5.                           24.       Guard or Attack Dog                                                                           

5.                           25.       Hopelessly Disabled Animal                                                                 

5.                           26.       Humane Care                                                                                       

5.                           27.       Impound or Impoundment                                                                   

5.                           28.       Livestock                                                                                              

5.                           29.       Owner                                                                                                

5.                           30.       Participating Municipality                                                                   

5.                           31.       Person                                                                                                  

5.                           32.       Potentially Dangerous Dog                                                                 

5.                           33.       Proper Enclosure or Proper, Secure Enclosure                                   

6.                           34.       Public Nuisance Animal                                                                     

6.                                       A. Animal repeatedly at large                                                     

6.                                       B. Leash law applies in parks                                                     

6.                                       C. Animals destroying property                                                              

6.                                       D. Pooper scooper law                                                                          

6.                                       E. Annoyance of neighbors due to noise                                                 

6.                                       F. Annoyance of neighbors due to unsanitary conditions            

6.                                       G. Animals in heat and unconfined                                                        

6.                                       H. Animals:       (i)  interfering in public right-of-way                                

6.                                                               (ii) creating traffic obstructions                                        

7.                                       I. Animals threatening domestic animals                                                

7.                                       J. Animals dangerous to public health, safety                               

7.                           35.       Rabies Control Tag                                                                              

7.                           36.       Records of an Appropriate Authority                                                              

7.                           37.       Responsible Person                                                                              

7.                           38.       Sanitary                                                                                                

7.                           39.       Severe Injury                                                                                      

8.                           40.       Sexually Mature                                                                                

8.                           41.       Sterilization                                                                                          

8.                           42.       Stray Cat                                                                                              

8.                           43.       Stray Dog                                                                                             

8.                           44.       Under Restraint                                                                                   

8.                           45.       Unsanitary Conditions                                                                         

8.                           46.       Vicious Dog                                                                                          

8.                           47.       Wild Animal                                                                                         

8.                           48.       Without provocation and unprovoked                                                 

9.        SECTION IV         RABIES CONTROL.                                                 

9.               a.  Rabies Control Tag Required.                                                      

9.               b.  Procedure Required for Rabies Check.                                                      

9.                           1. Owners responsibility for quarantine                                       

9.                                       A.  Surrendering animal for quarantine                            

9.                                       B.  Home quarantine                                                                  

9.                                       C.  Quarantine shall be ten (10) days                                          

9.                                       D.  Right to reclaim with provisions                                            

9.                           2.  Animals with evidence of rabies to be impounded                  

10.             c. Officials may seize animals believed to be rabid                                                        

10.      SECTION V    EMERGENCIES INVOLVING ANIMALS                                               

10.              a. Hopelessly Disabled Animals may be euthanized                                                    

10.              b. Contagious Animals                                                                                                

10.                         1. Impounding, isolating, and destroying                                                 

10.                         2. Owner liable for reimbursement to County                                          

11.             c. Vicious Animals                                                                                           

11.                         1. Acts of vicious animals:                                                                    

11.                                     (i) Against people                                                                                  

11.                                     (ii) Repeatedly threatening persons or animals                                         

11.                                     (iii) Damaging property; Animal Control Board involved                         

11.                         2  Animal Control Board hearing                                                            

12.                         3. Board decisions/Animal Services decisions                                         

12.                         4. Fee of $50.00 and reimbursement of all costs                                     

12.                         5. Preventing vicious dogs from biting.                                                    

12.      SECTION VI          RESTRAINT AND CONFINEMENT; IDENTIFICATION                                     

12.             a. Animal at large prohibited                                                                               

12.             b. Leash law                                                                                                      

12.             c. Animals to be controlled; preventing public nuisance                                       

13.             d. Females in heat to be confined

13.             e. Some animals are required to be micro chipped and registered at Animal Control.

13.      SECTION VII.  RESTRAINT OF GUARD OR ATTACK DOG                          

13.             a. Housing requirements                                                                                     

13.             b. Anti-climbing devices required                                                                       

13.             c. Secured entry; maintained as escape proof                                         

13.             d. Area marked “Danger”                                                                                  

13.             e. Law enforcement excluded from requirements                                                

13.      SECTION VIII.      IMPOUNDMENT                                                                  

14.             a.  Animal Control; seizure and impoundment rights for:                          

14.                         1. Animals without rabies tags                                                    

14.                         2. Animals at large and not under restraint                                              

14.                         3. Public nuisance or animal considered a danger                                    

14.                         4. Quarantine or confinement order violation                             

14.                         5. Unattended sick or injured                                                                 

14.                         6. Animals subjected to cruelty or neglect                                               

14.                         7. Animals possibly exposed to rabies                                        

14.                         8. Contagious animals; threat to public safety.                             

14.                         9. Potentially dangerous or dangerous animals                                                    

14.                         10. Exotic or wild animals in violation of Ordinances                               

14.                         11. Violation of court ordered impound/destruction                                

14.                         12. Unattended or abandoned animals                                                

15.                        13. Animals suspected of Ordinance violations               

15.             b. Citations may be written in lieu of impoundment.                                 

15.             c. Citizens to notify Animal Services of animals at large                                     

15.             d. Animal services may arrange to house animals off premises               

15.             e. County Sheriff to seize Livestock at large                                            

15.      SECTION IX.  IMPOUNDED, ABANDONED AND SURRENDERED ANIMALS      

15.             a. Reclaiming                                                                                                    

15.                         1 Fee schedule – non livestock                                                 

16.                         2. Fee schedule – livestock                                                                     

16.                         3. Livestock may be subject to testing for disease                                 

16.                         4. Animals shall not be returned if object of crime                                   

16.             b. Unclaimed Animals.                                                                                     

16.                         1. Strays kept 3 business days until disposition                         

16.                         2. Owned animals kept 5 business days until disposition            

17.                         3. Strays in agony may be destroyed immediately                                   

17.             c. Surrendering of Unwanted Animals.                                                                     

17.                         1. Owners may surrender animals to Animal services                  

17.                         2. Surrendered animals become County property                                 

17.      SECTION X.          ANIMAL FOUND AT LARGE.                                            

Animal may be returned to owners without impoundment. If owner is known, written notice of impoundment          to be provided. Animals to be reclaimed within 5 business days before disposition. Animal Services may cite owner in lieu of impoundment.

17.      SECTION XI.        KEEPING OF EXOTIC OR WILD ANIMALS.                    

Exotics not allowed at large and must be kept according to Federal and State laws. Director of Animal    Control may impose special conditions if animal is believed to be a threat to the public. Exotics may be impounded if in violation of any Ordinance.

18.      SECTION XII.       NUISANCES                                                             

     Unlawful to keep an animal which constitutes a health, welfare or safety issue.

18.      SECTION XIII.      DANGEROUS DOG CONTROL.                                         

18.             a. Investigations of Potentially Dangerous or Dangerous Dogs             

18.             b.  Procedures for classification;  Notice; Hearing                           

18.                         1. Procedures for classification