Sec. 14-235Confiscation of dogs; grounds; disposition
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.
(a) A classified dog shall be immediately confiscated by the dog control officer or by a law enforcement officer if the owner of such classified dog fails to comply with any provision set forth in this article.
(b) The owner of any dog that has been confiscated may recover such dog upon proof of compliance with the provisions of this article and payment of all fines, charges for services performed by the dog control officer, and reasonable confiscation and housing costs. However, such payments shall not be a prerequisite to recovery of the dog if the confiscation is deemed to be in error by a dog control officer, a designated authority, or the probate court. Criminal prosecution for a violation of this article shall not be stayed due to owner recovery of the dog.
(c) In the event the owner has not complied with the requirements and responsibilities set forth herein within 14 days of the date the dog was confiscated, such dog shall be released to an animal shelter, as defined in § 4-14-2.
(d) Refusal to surrender a dog subject to confiscation shall constitute a violation of this article.
History: (Ord. No. 15-04, § 3(Exh. A), 5-7-2015)
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_ARTVICLDODAVI_S14-235CODOGRDI
Official version: https://library.municode.com/GA/Ashburn/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH14AN_ARTVICLDODAVI_S14-235CODOGRDI
Paid for by James Burgess