New Georgia law bans sale of pets in public spaces

Georgia’s new law bans selling pets in public areas, but shelter leaders say stronger spay-neuter and accountability rules are still needed to curb pet overpopulation.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Pet owners in Georgia take note: a new law now bans the sale of dogs, cats and domestic rabbits in public spaces, including roadsides, parking lots, parks, fairs and seasonal flea markets.

Dee Allison, Director of the Houston County Humane Society, says that while the law is a good first step, it doesn’t go far enough to address the root causes of pet overpopulation.

“More needs to be done,” she said, expressing concern that the new restrictions could lead to an increase in pet abandonment.

“They don’t have an avenue to dispose of this situation, then they’re going to dispose of it in the way they know how—by abandoning them,” she said.

Shelters like the Houston County Humane Society are already struggling to manage the growing number of animals coming through their doors. Allison believes the law should be expanded to include stricter regulations, such as mandatory spay and neuter requirements.

“We need to look at a broader picture,” she said. “We need to get some tight spay-neuter laws into place and figure out a plan for maybe some registration and there’s some accountability—are these animals spayed and neutered, are they vaccinated?”

In the last six months, the Houston County Humane Society has taken in about one hundred dogs and cats.