{"id":1544,"date":"2026-05-26T23:36:48","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T23:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=1544"},"modified":"2026-05-26T23:36:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T23:36:48","slug":"bipartisan-nc-bill-would-set-statewide-standards-for-dog-tethering-pet-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=1544","title":{"rendered":"Bipartisan NC bill would set statewide standards for dog tethering, pet care"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) \u2014 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.<\/p>

Read more Becky Hammon stands by her \u2018small player\u2019 take as Jalen Brunson lifts Knicks to NBA Finals<\/a><\/p>\n

Duke\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cNorth Carolina is one of only a handful of states that does not have any consistent laws concerning the humane treatment of pets,\u201d said State Rep. Stephen Ross (R-Alamance), the bill\u2019s sponsor.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s confusion when people move into our state or go from county to county. There\u2019s not a uniform way to communicate,\u201d State Rep. Maria Cervania (D-Wake) said.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Photos<\/figure>\n
Photo of dogs courtesy of Duke Puppy Kindergarten<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe 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,\u201d said Rachel Bellis, director of local affairs in PETA\u2019s Cruelty Investigations Department.<\/p>\n

PETA says cases involving dogs left chained outside without adequate shelter, food or water remain common across North Carolina.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can\u2019t 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,\u201d said Bellis.<\/p>\n

Bellis said the bill would give animal control officers and law enforcement clearer authority to intervene earlier in cases of neglect.<\/p>

Read more Work continues on new Red Hat Amphitheater, set to open in Raleigh next year<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, a lot of people do leave their dogs out 24\/7 in all extreme weather,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s really not until the situation is so extreme that they can actually act. And so with Duke\u2019s 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\u2019re going to keep your dog outside, these are the standards.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Connor<\/figure>\n
Connor Hornibrook, center right, and his dog Ellie enjoy the fresh snow along with Annette Fierro, of and her dog Twyla at Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. (Tyger Williams\/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ross echoed those concerns, saying officers often lack the legal tools needed to act before neglect turns to tragedy.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir enforcement efforts were just about nil; their hands were tied,\u201d Ross said. \u201d 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\u2019s not improving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ross said the bill is a common-sense effort to establish a statewide baseline for pet care.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe realize that there are some people in rural areas that just don\u2019t know,\u201d he said. \u201cIt became evident that this something where we really need to be proactive as a state.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest pushback I got was from hunting groups,\u201d Ross said.<\/p>\n

Ross said the legislation has been updated to add exemptions for dogs used in hunting, herding and law enforcement training.<\/p>\n

\n
\"U.S.<\/figure>\n
U.S. Capitol Police officers with a K9 detector dog, patrols outside of Supreme Court, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Mariam Zuhaib)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s 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\u2019s not who the bill is aimed at all.\u201d<\/p>

Read more NCAA denies Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby\u2019s petition for eligibility reinstatement<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) \u2014 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. 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1540,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nBipartisan NC bill would set statewide standards for dog tethering, pet care - Raleigh Moving News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=1544\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bipartisan NC bill would set statewide standards for dog tethering, pet care - Raleigh Moving News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"RALEIGH, N.C. 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