Pet Owners of Walton County, I Need Your Cooperation"

With the advent of the Rabies season it is more important than ever that you have your Pets vaccinated against this horrible disease. TRACTOR SUPPLY in Monroe has Rabies shots for $10 available on certain Saturdays every month. Please contact them for the exact dates. Your pets, especially if they are allowed outside unsupervised, come into contact with numerous species of wildlife. Some of these wild animals are vectors for the Rabies virus. Raccoons, Foxes, Coyotes, Feral dogs, Feral cats, bats, Bobcats and several other species carry the disease. If you truly love your pet, get them vaccinated.
   On another topic, I need your help also. I have ongoing issues with pet owners around several cattle farms that I trap coyotes off of allowing their dogs to roam. This is in the H.D.Atha and Nunnally Farm Rd. areas. I have caught one particular owner's two dogs, three different times. I have met with the owner two different times and discussed with him how his roaming pets are disrupting my Trapping on the Farm. I made a report with the Walton County Sheriff's Department when he took one of my traps back to his home. I have tried to be Civil about this but now the gloves are coming off. Since certain pet owners just do what they want to do, then I am going to do what I have to do. All pet owners here in Walton should know that there are ordinances against roaming dogs and cats. It is my belief that some pet owners like the one I've had issues with just do not care. Roaming pets that are not vaccinated or fixed spread disease and breed at will. These irresponsible owners are directly contributing to the Feral dog and cat problems. BY STATE LAW, if your dog harasses pregnant cattle to the point that they abort a fetus, or actually attack newborns, the owner of the dog is civilly liable.  See the law below. 

§ 4-8-4. Liability for damage done by dogs

(a) The owner or, if no owner can be found, the custodian exercising care and control over any dog which while off the owner's or custodian's property causes injury, death, or damage directly or indirectly to any livestock, poultry, or pet animal shall be civilly liable to the owner of the livestock, poultry, or pet animal for injury, death, or damage caused by the dog. The owner or, if no owner can be found, the custodian exercising care and control over any dog shall be liable for any damage caused by such dog to public or private property. The liability of the owner or custodian of the dog shall include consequential damages.

(b) This Code section is to be considered cumulative of other remedies provided by law. There is no intent to eliminate or limit other causes of action which might inure to the owner of any livestock, poultry, or pet animal.

Credits

Laws 1969, p. 831, § 4; Laws 2012, Act 765, § 2, eff. July 1, 2012.

§ 4-8-6. Permitting female dog in heat to roam free

No owner or custodian of any dog in heat shall permit the dog to roam or run free beyond the limits of his property.

Laws 1969, p. 831, § 6

http://doglaw.hugpug.com/doglaw_088.html

http://statutes.laws.com/georgia/title-4/chapter-8/article-1/4-8-5