An overreaching proposed ordinance that seeks to place restrictions on pet breeders and on individuals who transfer/give away/sell pets is on the tentative agenda of the DeKalb County Committee of the Whole, for Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 9:00am. Click here for meeting information. It is unclear if this item will receive action on that date.
Recent informational updates include:
- Commissioner Michelle Long Spears indicated at the November 18, 2024, County Operations Committee meeting that amendments to the proposed ordinance are pending and county staff will work with stakeholders on the issue. No updates have been provided to AKC following the November 18 meeting.
- County staff indicated on November 26, 2024, that the proposed ordinance remained under review by the county law department, and therefore was not yet ready for action. No additional information regarding the status of the proposed ordinance has been received since November 26.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO:
Contact DeKalb County commissioners and respectfully ask them to reject proposed animal ordinance 2024-0190. Click here to identify your commissioner and their contact information. You can send emails and leave voice messages outside of business hours.
Always be a courteous, reliable source of factual information about dogs. Click here to view backgrounder information about the value of responsible dog breeders.
To recap, among numerous additional problematic requirements, the proposed ordinance seeks to:
- Require owners of female companion animals to obtain a litter permit prior to, or within one week after, the birth of a litter. A permit fee is referenced, but the amount is not provided. This permit would be in addition to federal and Georgia state-level dog and cat breeder requirements.
- Require that puppies and kittens may only be sold, given as a gift, or transferred from the location listed on the litter permit, subject to seizure if transferred at another location. This requirement appears to apply to ANY transfer of a puppy or kitten, and not solely transfers by a breeder. This also exposes individuals to risk if either the person transferring or receiving the pet acts in bad faith
- Limit the number of permits that could be issued to a household in any 12-month period; however, the proposed number is blank in the ordinance. It also would limit a female companion animal to producing one litter per year.
- Allow Dekalb County Animal Services to waive the fee for a litter permit for rescue groups and foster care providers that breed/whelp litters and sell/transfer pets.
- Require the litter permit holder to permanently retain for inspection the name and address of every recipient of an animal.
- Require the litter permit holder to be liable for medical costs up to the purchase price for any puppy or kitten “diagnosed as sick” within one week from the date of sale. The proposed ordinance fails to require veterinary documentation of illness, allow the seller/transferer of the pet to have it examined by their own veterinarian, or provide adequate due process for either the buyer or seller. AKC Government Relations has shared model legislation for consumer protection for pet buyers with commissioners and county staff.
Please contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org or call 919-816-3720 for additional information and to share updates.