By admin 
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — As temperatures climb across North Carolina, a bipartisan bill moving through the General Assembly would make it unlawful to leave dogs tethered outside during extreme weather conditions.
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Duke’s Rescue Act (HB 657) would create statewide standards for dogs and cats, including food, water, shelter, space, exercise and veterinary care. It would also prohibit tethering dogs outside during extreme heat above 85 degrees, freezing temperatures below 32 degrees, hurricanes and other severe weather conditions.
“North Carolina is one of only a handful of states that does not have any consistent laws concerning the humane treatment of pets,” said State Rep. Stephen Ross (R-Alamance), the bill’s sponsor.
Right now, local ordinances determine how long a dog can be tied outside. For example, Raleigh allows dogs to be tethered for up to three hours within a 24-hour period. But in Cary, dogs cannot be tied outside at all without supervision.
“There’s confusion when people move into our state or go from county to county. There’s not a uniform way to communicate,” State Rep. Maria Cervania (D-Wake) said.
The bill is named after Duke, a pitbull chained outside in Bertie County next to the remains of another dog that had starved to death. PETA rescued Duke and told CBS 17 he is now thriving.
“He is the perfect example of the countless dogs across North Carolina who are suffering at the end of chains. This is their lives every minute of every day. They are literally trapped on a small patch of dirt,” said Rachel Bellis, director of local affairs in PETA’s Cruelty Investigations Department.
PETA says cases involving dogs left chained outside without adequate shelter, food or water remain common across North Carolina.
“They can’t reach their food, water or shelter. We have found dogs during the summer who have died of heatstroke because their chains have gotten tangled and they die in 100-degree weather,” said Bellis.
Bellis said the bill would give animal control officers and law enforcement clearer authority to intervene earlier in cases of neglect.
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“Unfortunately, a lot of people do leave their dogs out 24/7 in all extreme weather,” she said. “It’s really not until the situation is so extreme that they can actually act. And so with Duke’s Rescue Act, it would give tools to animal control and to law enforcement to be able to talk to people about standards and saying, hey, if you’re going to keep your dog outside, these are the standards.”
Ross echoed those concerns, saying officers often lack the legal tools needed to act before neglect turns to tragedy.
“Their enforcement efforts were just about nil; their hands were tied,” Ross said. ” So this would give law enforcement a little more opportunity, or teeth, to be able to act if they see a situation where they know it’s not improving.”
Ross said the bill is a common-sense effort to establish a statewide baseline for pet care.
“We realize that there are some people in rural areas that just don’t know,” he said. “It became evident that this something where we really need to be proactive as a state.”
The bill has drawn pushback from hunting groups and concerns from the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association over how parts of the legislation could impact pet owners and veterinarians.
“The biggest pushback I got was from hunting groups,” Ross said.
Ross said the legislation has been updated to add exemptions for dogs used in hunting, herding and law enforcement training.
“It’s the strongest provision to protect hunters that I know of in the country. Hunting groups have assured me, we care for our dogs like we do ourselves. I get that That’s not who the bill is aimed at all.”
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