Sec. 14-135Limits of city liability
Plain English: what this chapter covers
This chapter covers keeping animals in town: loose dogs and livestock, rabies shots and tags, reporting bites, cruelty and neglect, impoundment at the city's designated shelter, and the rules for dogs classified as dangerous or vicious. A word of caution: a lot of it is printed twice (rules from 2001 and again from 2011), and two different sets of dangerous-dog rules are still on the books, so it's worth asking the city which version they enforce.
It is the intent of this article that the owner of a dangerous dog or potentially dangerous dog shall be solely liable for any injury to or death of a person caused by such dog. Under no circumstances shall the city or any of its employees or officials which enforce or fail to enforce the provisions of this article be held liable for any damages to any person who suffers an injury inflicted by a dog that has been identified as being a dangerous dog or potentially dangerous dog, or by a dog that has been reported to the proper authorities as being a dangerous dog or a potentially dangerous dog, or by a dog that a dog control officer has failed to identify as a dangerous dog or potentially dangerous dog, or by a dog which has been identified as being a dangerous dog or potentially dangerous dog but has not been kept or restrained in the manner described in this article, or by a dangerous dog or potentially dangerous dog whose owner has not maintained insurance coverage or a surety bond as required in this article.
This is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. The official code is on Municode and at City Hall. Our copy is from April 30, 2026.
Online: https://jamesburgessleads.com/city-code/PTIICOOR_CH14AN_ARTIIDO_DIV7DADO_S14-135LILI
Official version: https://library.municode.com/GA/Ashburn/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH14AN_ARTIIDO_DIV7DADO_S14-135LILI
Paid for by James Burgess