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Animal Cruelty
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All animals shall be kept and treated under sanitary humane conditions.
It is not considered animal cruelty to house an animal outdoors. However, all animals must be provided adequate food, a constant supply of clean, fresh water and adequate shelter from the weather at all times.
Animals that are tethered outdoors are required to have no less than 10 feet of chain with swivels on both ends and are to be tethered in such a manner that the animal cannot become entangled. A chain or tether cannot exceed 10% of the animals body weight. A chain cannot be used as a primary collar. For the purpose of chaining or tethering a collar must be made of nylon or leather
It is unlawful to allow a collar, rope or chain to become embedded in or cause injury to an animal's neck. It is important to monitor a growing animal's collar for the necessity of adjustment. It is also unlawful to use a choke or pinch collar to be used as a primary collar when the animal is left unsupervised.
In addition to failing to comply with the above stipulations, other acts which are enforceable as animal cruelty violations include, but are not limited to:
- Intentionally allowing animals to engage in a fight
North Carolina General Statute14-362.2 states that: a person who instigates, promotes, conducts, is employed at, provides a dog for, allows property under his ownership or control to be used for, gambles on, or profits from an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of a dog is guilty of a Class H felony. A person who owns, possesses, or, trains a dog with the intent that the dog be used in an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of that dog is also guilty of a Class H felony as well as a person who participates as a spectator at an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of a dog.
- Allowing animals to live in crowded or unsanitary conditions.
- Failure or refusal to obtain medical treatment for an animal.
- Shooting a dog, either on or off of the owner's property unless the dog is in the act of attacking a human being or livestock.
- Leaving an animal in a closed vehicle or other enclosure for such duration or at such temperatures as an Animal Control Officer or animal cruelty investigator deems harmful or potentially harmful to the animal.
- Carrying or causing to be carried in or upon the open area of a truck or other motor vehicle any animal that is not secured in an animal carrier or by a harness or other device , such that the animal cannot fall from, jump from or be thrown from the vehicle.
- Failure or refusal to report injured or killed domestic animals.
Remember that we chose to domesticate what would otherwise be a wild animal. In doing so, we take the responsibility as the sole provider for all of the needs of the animal. Therefore, we must provide a comfortable and healthy living environment for our pets and treat them with kindness and respect.
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