ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCES – Procedures & Classification

Did you know? 

ALL DOGS AND CATS IN PIKE COUNTY MUST

HAVE A YEARLY RABIES VACCINATION

dog 2

ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCES

(Click the above heading to go to Chapter 91 Pike County Animal Control Ordinances. Please verify with the Commissioners’ Office that these are the most current Ordinances. That number is 770-567-3406.)

Below is only an excerpt of Pike County’s Animal Control Ordinance, and some portions have been paraphrased.  For the full version of the Pike County Animal Control Ordinance, please go to the Pike County, Georgia website (linked on the heading above).

“Responsible Dog Ownership Law”

The determination of dangerous and vicious dogs in Pike County, Georgia, shall conform to the standards of the current edition of the State of Georgia’s “Responsible Dog Ownership Law.”

Upon receiving a report of a dog believed to be subject to classification as a dangerous dog or vicious dog within the Animal Control Officer’s jurisdiction, the Animal Control Officer shall make such investigation(s) as necessary to determine whether such dog is subject to classification as a dangerous dog or vicious dog.

Should the Animal Control Officer determine that a dog is subject to classification as a dangerous or vicious dog, the Animal Control Officer shall send a dated notice by certified mail to the dog’s owner or custodian within seventy-two (72) hours of the determination.  Such notice shall include a summary of the Animal Control Officer’s determination and shall state that the owner or custodian has a right to request a hearing before the Magistrate Court on the Animal Control Officer’s determination within fifteen (15) days after the date shown on the mailed notice.  The notice shall also provide a form for the requesting the hearing and shall state that if a hearing is not requested within the allotted time, the Animal Control Officer’s determination shall become effective for all purposes under the Ordinance.

When a hearing is requested by the dog owner or custodian in accordance with the requirements of this Ordinance (as highlighted above), such hearing shall be scheduled within thirty (30) days after the request is received; provided, however, that such hearing may be continued by the Magistrate Court for good cause shown.  At least ten (10) days prior to the hearing, the Magistrate Court shall mail the dog owner or custodian written notice of the date, time and place of the hearing.  At the hearing, the dog owner or custodian shall be given the opportunity to testify and present evidence and the Magistrate Court shall receive other evidence and testimony as may be reasonably necessary to sustain, modify, or overrule the Animal Control Officer’s determination.  If a custodian requests a hearing for a dog under their care, they shall hereafter be considered the “owner” of the subject dog.

Failure to acknowledge ownership of subject dog shall result in the subject dog being classified as a “stray” dog.   Dogs with no documented owner or custodian (“Stray” dogs), shall NOT be provided a hearing, and the original determination by the Animal Control Officer shall remain effective.  As such, said dogs shall be ordered to be euthanized by the Animal Control Officer at the Impoundment Facility.  It is the responsibility of every dog owner or custodian to properly document their dog as a pet.  Per definition, every dog that runs at large and does not have ownership or custodian documentation is a stray.

As stated above, this information is not inclusive.  Please visit the Pike County Website (www.pikecoga.com), visit the Pike County Commissioners’ Office or call them at (770) 567-3406 for the ENTIRE Code of Ordinances.