White County, Georgia

Sec. 10-106. – Running at large prohibited; duties of animal owners.

(g) Except as provided in the following section, every owner of an unsterilized animal, i.e. a dog, cat or ferret, is hereby required to confine the animal at all times. Confinement shall include keeping the animal within a fence, a proper enclosure, a house, other enclosure or structure that affords the animal humane care and in all cases prevents access to other animals not kept in the same enclosure. Any time an unsterilized animal is not confined, the animal must be on a secure and sturdy leash while being walked by a responsible person. Any unsterilized animal that is unconfined or not on a leash shall be subject to confiscation and impoundment, and, in addition to being subject to citation, the owner shall be required to have the animal sterilized within 30 days. The burden shall be on the owner of a sterilized animal to have proof available that the animal is sterilized.

(h) Unsterilized working animals (including show dogs) are exempt from the above confinement requirements while working, but their owners are required to keep such animals under control. The burden shall be on the owners to prove the animal was working at the time of the citation. Owners who negligently allow working animals to roam and run free at any time shall be subject to citation and sterilization under this section and under any other applicable section of this article.