Vicious dog owners to face new penalties

Owners of dangerous dogs will soon face state-mandated penalties if their animals injure other people under a bill signed into law Thursday.

Gov. Nathan Deal on Thursday signed House Bill 685, which provides definitions and hearing procedures for determining whether a dog is dangerous or vicious. It defines procedures for handling and keeping them, including muzzling and requiring a secure enclosure. If a dog has been defined as vicious, the owner must carry $50,000 in insurance and the dog must be microchipped.

A dog owner could face at least a year in prison and at least a $5,000 fine if the dog injures someone on a second occasion. An owner would be guilty of a high and aggravated misdemeanor on the first offense.