A problematic proposed dog ordinance in DeKalb County, Georgia—which includes litter permits for all breeders in the county, litter limits, sales restrictions, and incomplete consumer protections—has been added to the Board of Commissioners agenda for Tuesday, May 6, 2025. The American Kennel Club (AKC) believes that the current version of the proposed ordinance will negatively affect all responsible dog owners and breeders in the county, including hobby breeders of purebred dogs, and urges DeKalb County residents and those from surrounding communities, to respectfully ask the Board of Commissioners to reject proposed ordinance 2024-0190 as currently worded. (Scroll down to WHAT YOU CAN DO for contact information.)
WHAT ORDINANCE 2024-0190 WOULD DO
- Require owners of female companion animals to obtain a litter permit prior to, or within one week after, the birth of a litter. The cost of the permit fee 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 exposes individuals to risk if either the person transferring or receiving the pet acts in bad faith.
- Limit the number (undetermined) of permits that could be issued to a household in any 12-month period; and limit a female companion animal to producing one litter per year.
- Allow Dekalb County Animal Services to waive litter permit fees for rescue groups and foster care providers that breed/whelp litters and sell/transfer pets.
- Require litter permit holders to permanently retain the name and address of every recipient of an animal they transferred, and provide them for inspection if requested.
- Require the litter permit holders to comply with incomplete consumer protections, including liability for medical costs up to the purchase price for any puppy or kitten “diagnosed as sick” within one week from the date of sale.
This proposal will not only affect breeders. If you live in DeKalb County and might have reason to transfer ownership of, sell, or give away a pet, now or into the future, this problematic ordinance, as currently worded, will affect you.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
DeKalb County residents and those from surrounding communities are urged to contact DeKalb County commissioners and respectfully ask them to reject proposed animal ordinance 2024-0190 as currently worded. Click here to identify your commissioner and their contact information.
AKC recommends everyone be courteous to others involved in the political process, including to those that may not return the favor; and be the respectful, reliable source of factual information about dogs and responsible breeding and ownership practices.
Click here to view information about the value of responsible dog breeders that can be shared with DeKalb Commissioners.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact AKC Government Relations at doglaw@akc.org or 919-816-3720; or the Georgia Canine Coalition at outland@laberge.org.