Tift County to mirror state ban on roadside pet transfers with Ordinance No. 2025-03

Animal Control Director Candice Hernandez told the Tift County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 4 that Georgia’s HB 331 (passed July 2025) makes it unlawful to transfer dogs, cats or domestic rabbits at roadside locations and similar public outdoor venues and recommended the county amend its ordinance to adopt the same prohibition. The board indicated it would place Ordinance No. 2025-03 on the Nov. 10 consent agenda for formal consideration.

Hernandez said aligning the county code with the state law would help Animal Control enforce prohibitions on pet transfers at rights-of-way, parks, parking lots and transient markets. The recommendation seeks to give county officers the same enforcement tools described in the new state statute, including the prohibition’s geographic scope and covered animals.

If placed on the Regular Session consent agenda and approved, the ordinance would formally add those state-language prohibitions to county code. No formal vote was taken at the work session; the item was only recommended for placement on the Nov. 10 consent agenda. The board did not record public comment on the measure during the Nov. 4 work session.

The county’s next step is placement of the ordinance on the Nov. 10 agenda, where commissioners may vote to adopt, amend or remove the item from consent for further debate.