Georgia Dangerous Dog Ordinance Makes Pit Bull Registration Mandatory

Hector is sad.
This news makes Hector the Pit Bull sad.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back. We must continue the good fight. We will prevail!

— Kenn Bell, Dog Files Creator

Saying it’s acting in the interest of public safety, College Park, Georgia officials will enact a  “dangerous dog” registry next month that some critics say is very close to canine profiling.

Residents owning dogs that have, without provocation, bitten someone during the last 12 years, will be required to register their pet with the city clerk’s office.  Pit Bull, Doberman, Rottweiler and German Shepherd owners, will also have to register their dogs whether they have ever attacked someone or not.

Registration will cost a $25 annual fee. Those who fail to register their dogs will face fines and confiscation of their pets.

Lawrenceville, LaGrange and Floyd County have all enacted their own versions of the ordinance but College Park appears to be the first municipality in Georgia to require registration for breeds beyond Pit Bulls.

There have been several recent Pit Bull attacks in areas near College Park. Last August an infant was mauled and seriously injured by a Pit Bull; two months later, a resident walking his dog was attacked by a neighbor’s Pit Bull. In addition, an animal control officer was bitten by a dog.

Critics are upset that no public hearings were held before the dog registry became law.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

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terry
terry
12 years ago

any animal that has teeth has the potential to bite!

Rankechf
Rankechf
12 years ago
Reply to  terry

Yes that is true, but people have teeth and they can bite too. That does not make them bad so it don’t make the other animals bad either.

custom research paper
12 years ago

Absolutely agree with terry

Rotti Lover
Rotti Lover
12 years ago

I don’t think it’s neccessarily a bad thing IMHO, I have a rottweiller and I have to register her each year as a dog only but I can see where the concern come up.  A person might be the best dog owner that may be able to handle with fairness and discipline, but there are so many other dog owners of that same breed of dog (pitbull, rottweiller, boxer … the list goes on) that are irresponsible and it gives all of us GOOD ‘dangerous breed’ owners a bad name.  It really is more to keep track of those people and because of that reason alone I am for it.  My rotti is probably one of the most perfect family dogs for my family and I have 4 kids under 5 years of age, she’s never even snarled a lip at a child – I could not say that for a lot of other dogs (of any breed, I was bitten by a Cockapoo when I was a kid … now THERE’S a dangerous yippy little breed)

terry
terry
12 years ago

did not mean to imply it was a good thing or a bad thing, it is just a fact.
was one of the first things i learned when i worked for a veterinarian

Stefani Buzzard
12 years ago

You’re telling me a Pit Bull Therapy Dog will now need to be registered as a “Dangerous Dog”? This will not reduce the number of bite incidents. Guaranteed, the irresponsible dog owners that this law is supposed to target are NOT going to be registering their animals, and those that can’t afford to pay the registration fee will have their pets confiscated and most likely killed, so way to go Georgia, another excuse to impound animals and add to the killing. “In addition, an animal control officer was bitten by a dog” You’re kidding, an ACO getting bitten by a dog? If they can enact this registry so easily, I expect to see the Animal Abuser Registry next month.

Smog515
Smog515
12 years ago

I live in Georgia…in a County that, if Pits, Rotts, Canine Corso’s or Chow’s are found as strays, no sign of ownership, they’re put down the same day…I’ve lived here for almost 25 years and the only thing I regret about it is how freakin’ backwards they are.  You’re absolutely right..the people that are bad owners will never register their pits…My neighborhood is full of pits, I’m not in College Park, and I can assure you that if registration was required in this neighborhood, no one would do it…only responsible pet owners abide by the law…they won’t even spay or neuter…it just makes me soooo irate!!!!!

Mkatehansen
Mkatehansen
12 years ago

Instead of breed discrimination, what they need to do, is to require all non-breeder owned dogs to be spayed and neutered.  This reduces dogs wandering, unwanted litters, and territorial behavior.  Neutered dogs are less likely to get in fights; which can be very dangerous for humans. Plus, it saves money on animal control and there are less animals to be euthanized.

If they still want to discriminate, based on breed; they need to back up their choices.  The top 10 most dangerous dog breeds, according to the CDC; are Akitas, Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, St. Bernards, Rottweilers, Huskies, Chow Chows, Great Danes, and Alaskan Malamutes. 50% of all fatal attacks on humans are by Pit Bulls and Rottweilers.

Dobermans are not even in the top 10 dangerous dogs. Labradors attack more than Dobermans.  Akitas attack more than Pit Bulls. So, if they choose to discriminate they should do their research instead of picking and choosing based on personal prejudice! 

Thomas Mitchell
12 years ago

Stupid and useless laws like this are what make the South the laughing stock of the country and the butt of countless stand-up comics. Way to give the South a good name Georgia,    morons

Smog515
Smog515
12 years ago

Live here…and as I stated before, that’s the only thing I regret about moving to this state..it’s so backwards about animals, it’s just…I don’t even know what word to use…

Pitties<3
Pitties<3
12 years ago

Shitzus and those other little ankle biter dogs are more viscious than any large breed I’ve seen…where’s the ban on them??

sara
sara
11 years ago
Reply to  Pitties<3

lol my husband was trapped in the corner of his parents garage by his parents Pomeranian! A little fur ball and he was more scared of the little ankle biter than he was of his own pit bull! His own pit bull was even terrified of the Pomeranian! So yes, the ban should go for all dogs not just one breed. My friends have two pit bulls a father and a son, and then they have a mini pincher and they play with him all the time, but if one of the pit bulls were to try to get some attention and love, the mini pincher would snap at them and show his teeth because he wanted all of the attention. Small dogs are mean little suckers when they want to be!

Highlanderfan1
Highlanderfan1
12 years ago

What a load of crap!

Whitneyhd
Whitneyhd
12 years ago

Someone hit the nail on the head! The idiots who don’t spay/neuter their ‘dangerous dogs’ are the ones  that are almost always involved in the fatal attacks and serious injuries. These are the same imbeciles that give responsible dog owners a bad name, by their ‘don’t give a sh*t attitude’. Another comment was also right on point. This will identify the owners(if they even bother to claim them) upon impound of the dog. Ban stupid owners not the dogs!!

GSD Owner
GSD Owner
12 years ago

The College Park “potentially dangerous dog” ordinance goes much further than just a $25 registration fee. The dogs must have a microchip implanted (at the city council meeting when this was passed the Animal Control Officer admitted the city does not have a scanner to read microchips). Owners must possess $100,000 in liability insurance. The dogs must be enclosed in a fence 6 feet high, with an additional 2 feet in the ground. The dogs must wear a special “I am dangerous” tag at all times. The dogs must be current in these vaccinations: Rabies, Distemper, Parvo, Bordetella, and Coronavirus. I think the responsible dog owners will try to comply. The irresponsible dog owners not at all. 

sara
sara
11 years ago

My husband and I are pit bull owners. Or babygirl is the first large breed of canine that we have had, I always grew up with dachshunds and other small breeds. When my dachshund was sick he turned on me and bit me. My pit has been sick and she lays in my lap like she is a child or like I like to call a wanna be lap dog. Not once has she turned on me or my children who are 2 and 4. Which they can lay on her or pull her ears and she just lays their and licks them. She would sleep with them at night if we let her. And yes she is registered. She isn’t our dog, people! She is apart of our family! All of these irresponsible dog owners need to be punished for the crime, not the dog they cant fend for themselves or speak for their own justice, and its up to us good dog owners to do it for them! They weren’t asked to be put on this stupid planet or to be judged for what breed they are. They are beautiful intelligent and sweet creatures that God has give to us and we need to give them the love that they desperately deserve.

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