Kennesaw plans Chapter 10 animal-control ordinance update to align with Cobb County and state law

Kennesaw city staff told the council on Nov. 24 that the city will update its Chapter 10 animal-control ordinance so Cobb County can enforce the code within city limits under an intergovernmental agreement.

Staff said the draft ordinance will reference current Cobb County ordinance language and Georgia state rules, aiming to avoid repeated updates when the county or state changes requirements. One councilmember raised a substantive drafting question: the restraint/exception section specifically names a county dog park, and the council asked whether city dog parks such as Swift Cantrell Park need explicit mention or separate exceptions.

Council directed legal staff to review the draft between the work session and the Monday meeting to search for references to "county" and replace or clarify wording to make city-specific intent clear. The staff presentation indicated that one related IGA (animal control) will be returned after the ordinance is adopted, because the IGA references the ordinance language.

Why it matters: Amending local animal-control rules and coordinating enforcement with the county affects how animal-related complaints, leash requirements and exceptions at parks are enforced and which agency has jurisdiction.

Next steps: Legal will review and, if needed, revise the ordinance language so the council can consider it at the upcoming public hearing and vote on Monday. The animal-control IGA will be presented to council after adoption of city ordinance language that supports county enforcement under the agreement.