Columbus, Georgia

Sec. 5-9. – Registration of dogs and cats.

(A) Registration required. In addition to the requirement for rabies vaccination, owners of dogs and cats four months of age and older are required to register each such dog and/or cat with the animal services division. The dog and/or cat must be vaccinated for rabies before registration is authorized and valid certificate of rabies vaccination must be presented before a dog or cat may be registered, except in the following specially exempted circumstances. A dog or cat may be registered without the required rabies vaccination when:

(1) A licensed veterinarian has examined the animal and certified that at the time of registration such vaccination would endanger the animals health because of age, infirmity, debility, illness, or pregnancy. The exemption certificate must include the date when a rabies vaccination can be administered.

(2) The owner shall be required to have the exempted dog or cat vaccinated within ten days of the expiration date of the veterinarian’s certificate.

(3) Veterinarians issuing exemption certificates are authorized to charge the pet owner a medical examination fee.

(4) Veterinarians registering animals under the provision of this exemption authorization shall attach a copy of the certificate to the animal registration form which shall be forwarded to the animal services division in accordance with administrative instructions issued by the animal services division. The owner of the animal will be provided with a copy of the certificate of exemption and the owner will be required to present the certificate for inspection on request of an animal control officer.

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(G) Registration fees. All dogs and cats four months of age or older must be registered. Effective July 1, 2014, the registration fees shall be as follows:

(1) Altered dogs and cats. All dogs and cats which have been altered (spayed/neutered); or are less than nine months of age; or have a medical problem (certified by a licensed veterinarian) which would preclude surgery for a year or longer. A copy of the record from a licensed veterinarian certifying the animal has been spayed/neutered and a valid certificate of rabies vaccination must be presented at the time of the registration.

a. One-year registration …..$10.00

b. Three-year registration …..$30.00

(2) Non-altered dogs and cats. All non-altered (spayed/neutered) dogs and cats nine months of age or older; or without a veterinarian-certified medical exemption:

a. One-year registration …..$40.00

b. Three-year registration …..$120.00

Sec. 5-12.1. – Revocation of licenses of trainers, breeders, boarders and sellers of dogs or other animals convicted of cruelty to dogs or other animals.

Any person convicted of or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to O.C.G.A. Section 4-8-5 (Cruelty to dogs) or O.C.G.A. Section 16-12-4 (Cruelty to animals) or any other comparable criminal prohibition against cruelty to animals that may be later enacted shall not thereafter be issued a license to train, breed, board or sell dogs or other animals in Columbus, Georgia, and the licenses of those persons being convicted of or entering guilty or nolo contendere pleas to said offenses shall immediately stand revoked, in addition to other penalties prescribed by law.

Sec. 5-13.1. – Disposition of animals.

(b) Adoption of animals.

(1) At the time of adoption of non-altered (spayed/neutered) animal from the animal services division. the individual adopting said animal shall purchase, for the sum of $50.00, a spay/neuter voucher to be presented to the veterinarian of their choice to defray a portion of the cost of spaying or neutering the animal. The veterinarian may redeem said voucher by presenting same to the finance department for the consolidated government. Effective July 1, 2010, adoption fees shall be $75.00 and said voucher shall be worth $50.00.

(2) No unclaimed dog or cat which is not neutered or spayed shall be released from the Columbus Animal Services Division office without a written agreement from the person adopting the animal that such animal will be sterilized within 30 days from the date of adoption, unless a later date is indicated on the adoption agreement due to the age or health condition of that particular animal. Within 45 days of the adoption or 15 days of the alternative date indicated on the adoption agreement, said owner will file with Columbus Animal Services Division office the signed statement of a licensed veterinarian that the animal in question has been neutered or spayed. Failure of the owner to file such a signed statement will result in a fine of $100.00 and constitute a presumption that there has been a failure to spay or neuter the adopted dog or cat. Upon such failure to comply with the provisions of this subsection, a citation may be issued under O.C.G.A. § 4-14-3(c) to be prosecuted in environmental court as a misdemeanor by animal enforcement officers pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 4-14-4.

Sec. 5-14. – Fee for recovery of impounded animals.

(a) Impoundment fee. In addition to city registration fees and board fees required by this chapter, there shall be an impoundment charge assessed against owners who recover their animals which are impounded under the provisions of this chapter. The impoundment fee shall be in accordance with the following schedule:

Sec. 5-16. – Commercial kennels.

(a) Commercial kennel defined. Section 22-3 of the Zoning Ordinance of Columbus defines a commercial kennel as follows: A kennel maintained for the purpose of offering any service whatsoever, including, but not limited to, boarding, grooming, breeding, keeping for sale, selling, trading, training, renting, or leasing for guard purposes any dogs or other animals.

(b) Business license required. It shall be unlawful for any person, business, or kennel (as heretofore defined), regardless of the number of the animals kept, to engage regularly in the sale of cats, dogs, kittens, or puppies, regardless of the age of the animals, without having a business license which specifically authorizes commercial kennel activities.

(c) Certificate of occupancy required. The business license department shall require a valid and current certificate of occupancy for commercial kennel before such business license is issued.

(d) Maintenance of yards and pens. In addition to the minimum requirements for lot size and structural specifications required by the Zoning Ordinance and Building Code of Columbus, yards and pens for dogs shall be in accordance with the standards for such dog yards and pens as required by this chapter.

(e) Waste disposal. Fecal matter and urine from animals shall be disposed of into the city sanitary sewerage system and shall not be allowed to drain or leak into the rainwater sewerage system.

(f) Kennel sanitation. It shall be unlawful to keep or maintain within Columbus, Georgia, any kennel that is unsanitary, nauseous, foul, or offensive, or in any way detrimental to public health and/or safety.

(g) Rabies vaccination. The owner, manager or person in charge of a commercial kennel (as herein defined) shall be responsible for ensuring that all dogs and cats four months of age or over that are on the premises and offered for sale have been vaccinated for rabies. This requirement applies even if the animals are on consignment. The certificate of rabies vaccination and the rabies tag for each such animal shall be available for inspection on request by an animal enforcement officer.

(h) There shall be a $100.00 inspection and permit fee for each commercial kennel permit.