The state-level rules every owner and walker in Georgia should know. Local leash lengths, licensing and off-leash rules are set by each city — find those on the city pages below.
Georgia is a modified one-bite state with a powerful shortcut — if a leash ordinance applied and the dog wasn't leashed, a bite victim skips the "knew it was dangerous" requirement entirely.
Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7) is a modified one-bite state with a powerful shortcut. Normally a victim must prove the dog had a vicious propensity the owner knew about — but the statute says it is sufficient to show the dog was required to be at heel or on a leash by a local ordinance and was not. So if a leash ordinance applied and the dog was off-leash, the victim skips the knew-it-was-dangerous requirement entirely (Johnston v. Warendh) — an off-leash bite in a leash-law area is a near-automatic liability path. The victim must not have provoked the dog, and Georgia courts start from the premise that dogs are presumed harmless regardless of breed (Steagald v. Eason).
There is no statewide leash law — local ordinances govern (for example, Cobb County requires a 6-ft leash off-property), and their violation triggers the shortcut above. The statewide Responsible Dog Ownership Law (O.C.G.A. §§ 4-8-20 to 4-8-33) is the dangerous and vicious-dog classification framework, with felony exposure for knowing violations that cause severe injury or death. The trend is away from breed bans.
Georgia applies modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33). The personal-injury limit is two years (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33).
This is general information about Georgia law, not legal advice. Confirm current rules with the official state and municipal sources.