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Henry County commissioners table proposed ban on animal tethering after hours-long debate
Summary
After public comment and a lengthy panel discussion, the Board of Commissioners voted to table changes to the county nimal tethering provisions, directing staff to work with municipalities and draft enforceable language with temporary exceptions for basic care.
A proposal to strip the county—ode—xceptions that allow tethering of dogs sparked an extended debate at the Henry County Board of Commissioners meeting on Dec. 2, and commissioners voted to table the matter for further drafting and municipal coordination.
Planning staff introduced a motion to revert the county nimal ordinance to its pre-2021 form, which would remove specific tethering provisions. Captain Hotgood of Animal Care and Control told the board the change could sharply increase shelter intake and strain the department—ecause the county does not accept owner surrenders; he said enforcement and court workloads would also grow and that removal of tethering exemptions could harm residents who rely on tethering for limited, practical reasons.
During public comment, Locust Grove resident James Cocotillo described himself as a responsible pet owner who sometimes tethers his indoor dog briefly and urged continued public education rather than immediate punitive enforcement. Commissioner Michael Price argued the county should prioritize animal welfare and move toward banning non-temporary tethering, pointing to other Georgia counties that have adopted bans; he said the county should emphasize public education before active enforcement. Commissioner Kevin Lewis and others pressed staff to propose clear, enforceable language and to preserve temporary, visible tethering for specific tasks (for example, short periods while an owner attends to the animal).
County Manager Sherry Matthews and Animal Care and Control staff recommended a cautious approach: they urged the board to work with municipal leaders because the county—nforces animal care across city limits and differing local ordinances could complicate enforcement. The county attorney confirmed the change would need to be advertised twice before adoption.
The board voted to table the item to the first quarter of 2026. Directions to staff included meeting with Commissioner Price, consulting city managers about harmonizing ordinances, reviewing the county—rvice delivery strategy for animal control, drafting time- and condition-based exceptions (temporary tethering while in direct sight), and preparing the required legal advertisements.
