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2023 CODE OF GEORGIA
Title 4 - ANIMALS (§§ 4-1-1 — 4-15-1)
Chapter 8 - DOGS (§§ 4-8-1 — 4-8-40)
Article 2 - RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP LAW (§§ 4-8-20 — 4-8-33)
Section 4-8-21 - Definitions
Universal Citation:
GA Code § 4-8-21 (2023)
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This media-neutral citation is based
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- (a) As used in this article, the term:
- (1) "Classified dog" means any dog that has been classified as either a dangerous dog or vicious dog pursuant to this article.
- (2) "Dangerous dog" means any dog that:
- (A) Causes a substantial puncture of a person's skin by teeth without causing serious injury; provided, however, that a nip, scratch, or abrasion shall not be sufficient to classify a dog as dangerous under this subparagraph;
- (B) Aggressively attacks in a manner that causes a person to reasonably believe that the dog posed an imminent threat of serious injury to such person or another person although no such injury occurs; provided, however, that the acts of barking, growling, or showing of teeth by a dog shall not be sufficient to classify a dog as dangerous under this subparagraph; or
- (C) While off the owner's property, kills a pet animal; provided, however, that this subparagraph shall not apply where the death of such pet animal is caused by a dog that is working or training as a hunting dog, herding dog, or predator control dog.
- (3) "Local government" means any county or municipality of this state.
- (4) "Owner" means any natural person or any legal entity, including, but not limited to, a corporation, partnership, firm, or trust owning, possessing, harboring, keeping, or having custody or control of a dog. In the case of a dog owned by a minor, the term "owner" includes the parents or person in loco parentis with custody of the minor.
- (5) "Serious injury" means any physical injury that creates a substantial risk of death; results in death, broken or dislocated bones, lacerations requiring multiple sutures, or disfiguring avulsions; requires plastic surgery or admission to a hospital; or results in protracted impairment of health, including transmission of an infection or contagious disease, or impairment of the function of any bodily organ.
- (6) "Vicious dog" means a dog that inflicts serious injury on a person or causes serious injury to a person resulting from reasonable attempts to escape from the dog's attack.
- (b) No dog shall be classified as a dangerous dog or vicious dog for actions that occur while the dog is being used by a law enforcement or military officer to carry out the law enforcement or military officer's official duties. No dog shall be classified as a dangerous dog or a vicious dog if the person injured by such dog was a person who, at the time, was committing a trespass, was abusing the dog, or was committing or attempting to commit an offense under Chapter 5 of Title 16.
Added by 2012 Ga. Laws 765,§ 4, eff. 7/1/2012.
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