The North Carolina House and Senate are expected to consider bills on Monday, June 6 to expand the localities in North Carolina that may transfer a retired working dog to its handler when the dog is retired from service.
The American Kennel Club supports House Bill 1009 and Senate Bill 849, which will ensure the lifelong care of these animals that, along with their handlers, provide invaluable services to local communities by allowing the local governments to donate the animal to the officer or employee who had custody and control of it during its service. This allows the handler to continue to ensure the animal’s care and wellbeing, as well as allows for the continued companionship and trust that is built between a handler and dog while serving the community. The animal may also be transferred to the surviving spouse or children if the handler was killed in the line of duty, or an organization dedicated to supporting animals retired from public service.
A law was passed in 2015 to allow this in the City of Raleigh and Mecklenburg County. These bills would expand this law to Yancey County and the Towns of Apex, Cary, Garner, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, and Zebulon.
AKC encourages North Carolina residents, particularly those residing in these localities, to contact their State Representative in support of House Bill 1009 and their State Senator in support of Senate Bill 849 prior to the scheduled vote on Monday, June 6. To find the name and contact information for your State Senator, visit AKC’s Legislative Action Center and type your address in the “Find Your Elected Officials box” on the right-hand side of the home page.
For more information, contact AKC GR at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org.
The North Carolina House and Senate are expected to consider bills on Monday, June 6 to expand the localities in North Carolina that may transfer a retired working dog to its handler when the dog is retired from service. The American Kennel Club supports House Bill 1009 and Senate Bill 849, which will ensure the lifelong care of these animals that, along with their handlers, provide invaluable services to local communities by allowing the local governments to donate the animal to the officer or employee who had custody and control of it during its service.