Yesterday (June 16), the North Carolina Judiciary 1 Committee approved an amended bill regarding tethering and shelters for dogs which includes some positive amendments, but some concerns remain.
Thanks to the messages received by many AKC club members, the bill expanded exemptions to include more dog events and training, and activities such as grooming and veterinary exams. In addition, some provisions in these bills are reasonable and do protect dogs from being harmed while tethered or kept outside. However, other provisions remain unclear and may not be in the best interest of all dogs.
The amended bill now goes to the Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Committee.
North Carolina dog owners should BOTH contact the members of the House Rules Committee and their State Representative TODAY. Let them know that while well-intentioned, House Bill 657 contains some unclear and arbitrary provisions. Ask them to not allow H. 657 to pass as written, and to instead work with AKC, AKC clubs, law enforcement, and other stakeholders in the interim on effective, clear policies that truly help dogs in North Carolina. (Scroll down for contact information)
Summary of Amended Bill:
House Bill 657 as amended seeks to protect dogs by providing tethering and outdoor shelter requirements.
As introduced, the bill provided limited exemptions for dogs actively engaging in a lawful hunt, herding livestock, or farming agricultural products, or for owners walking a dog on a leash or complying with tethering requirements at a camping or recreational area. These exemptions are now expanded to include sledding, sporting, field trials, and other events, as well as training “where tethering or sheltering the dog in a particular manner is integral to those activities.”
Exemptions to the 15-foot tether requirement were also added for grooming, veterinary exams, restraint during transport, or dogs “engaged in training, shows, or competitions.”
AKC greatly appreciates these amendments, which were added after the committee heard from numerous AKC club members across the state. AKC also supports certain provisions (such requiring appropriate exercise, food and water appropriate for a dog’s age, condition and breed).
However, some questions/concerns remain, including:
- Shelter requirements – The bill provides an extensive definition of “adequate shelter” and “adequate space”, including requiring that the dog be able to easily stand up, lie down, turn around, etc. It also requires a windbreak, proper flooring, and specific bedding material. While this is appropriate for a dog’s primary enclosure, this does not consider safe and temporary crating and transportation for dogs. The exemption for transportation is made for tethering/restraint, but it is unclear if it also applies to temporary crating. It also is unclear if dog owners must provide a separate shelter even if the dog primarily is kept in the home.
- Specific temperature requirements – Additional requirements are included for when the temperature is above 85 degrees or lower than 32 degrees. This arbitrary mandate does not consider that dogs are not “one size fits all”. Some dogs can safely tolerate temperatures outside these ranges. Others may not be able to handle the extreme ends of these temperatures. Under this arbitrary proposal, owners would not be required to provide appropriate bedding in the dog’s shelter until the temperature is under 32 degrees or ensure the shelter does not readily conduct heat until the temperature reaches 85 degrees. More flexible requirements that require ensuring the health and safety of the dog can better protect all dogs.
- Tethering – Except when walking your dog or the exemptions for shows and training mentioned above, anytime a dog is tethered to any stationary object, the tether must be 15 feet long or 4 times the length of the dog, whichever is greater. AKC appreciates that it states that a dog should not be tethered in a way that could cause harm. However, it is unclear what this means if a dog could get tangled in a tether this long, or it allows the dog to access an area that could be dangerous (such as a road) or go into a neighboring property.
Talking Points:
AKC strongly agrees that dogs should not be tethered or kept outside in any condition where health and safety are at risk. In addition, there are many provisions in these bills that are reasonable (for example, ensuring dogs have appropriate food and water, and that the tether is not so tight as to injure the dog), and AKC greatly appreciates the exemptions for dog events and training. However, the current proposal establishes arbitrary mandates that are not in the best interests of all dogs, particularly when partaking of outside activities.
Consider the following resources for talking points when contacting the committee:
- Dogs Outdoors/Tethering Key Issue Page in the AKC Legislative Action Center
- AKC Responsible Policy Video – Arbitrary Temperature Requirements Can Harm Dogs
- AKC Handout: Keeping Dogs Safe in Inclement Weather
What You Can Do:
North Carolina dog owners should BOTH contact the members of the House Rules Committee and their State Representative TODAY. Let them know that you appreciate the many reasonable amendments to this bill and support the goal of protecting dogs. However, House Bill 657 still contains some unclear and arbitrary provisions. Ask them to not allow H. 657 to pass, and to instead work with AKC, AKC clubs, law enforcement, and other stakeholders in the interim on effective, clear policies that truly help dogs in North Carolina.
1) Contact your State Representative, and be sure to mention you are a constituent. Use the link below to easily send a message to your State Representative:
Click here to send a message directly to your Representative.
2) Contact the Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Committee:
Rep. John R. Bell, IV, Chair (Wayne County)
John.Bell@ncleg.gov
919-715-3017
Rep. Tricia Ann Cotham, Vice Chair (Mecklenburg County)
Tricia.Cotham@ncleg.gov
919-733-5886
Rep. Brenden H. Jones, Vice Chair (Columbus, Robeson Counties)
Brenden.Jones@ncleg.gov
919-733-5821
Rep. Erin Paré, Vice Chair (Wake County)
Erin.Pare@ncleg.gov
919-733-2962
Rep. Cynthia Ball (Wake County)
Cynthia.Ball@ncleg.gov
919-733-5860
Rep. William D. Brisson (Bladen, Sampson Counties)
William.Brisson@ncleg.gov
919-733-5772
Rep. Becky Carney (Mecklenburg County)
Becky.Carney@ncleg.gov
919-733-5827
Rep. Carla D. Cunningham (Mecklenburg County)
Carla.Cunningham@ncleg.gov
919-733-5807
Rep. Allison A. Dahle (Wake County)
Allison.Dahle@ncleg.gov
919-733-5755
Rep. Ted Davis, Jr. (New Hanover County)
Ted.Davis@ncleg.gov
919-733-5786
Rep. Jimmy Dixon (Duplin, Wayne Counties)
Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.gov
919-715-3021
Rep. Blair Eddins (Alexander, Wilkes Counties)
Blair.Eddins@ncleg.gov
919-733-5935
Rep. Karl E. Gillespie (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon Counties)
Karl.Gillespie@ncleg.gov
919-733-5859
Rep. Kyle Hall (Forsyth, Stokes Counties)
Kyle.Hall@ncleg.gov
919-733-5609
Rep. Neal Jackson (Moore, Randolph Counties)
Neal.Jackson@ncleg.gov
919-715-4946
Rep. Tim Longest
Tim.Longest@ncleg.gov
919-733-5773
Rep. Charles W. Miller (Brunswick, New Hanover Counties)
Charles.Miller@ncleg.gov
919-733-5830
Rep. Ray Pickett (Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga Counties)
Ray.Pickett@ncleg.gov
919-733-7727
Rep. Renee Price (Caswell, Orange Counties)
Renee.Price@ncleg.gov
919-715-3019
Rep. Reece Pyrtle (Rockingham County)
Reece.Pyrtle@ncleg.gov
919-733-5779
Rep. Amos L. Quick, III (Guilford County)
Amos.Quick@ncleg.gov
919-733-5902
Rep. Robert T. Reives, II (Chatham, Randolph Counties)
Robert.Reives@ncleg.gov
919-733-0057
Rep. John A. Torbett (Gaston County)
John.Torbett@ncleg.gov
919-733-5868
Rep. Steve Tyson (Craven County)
Steve.Tyson@ncleg.gov
919-733-5853
Rep. Donna McDowell White (Johnston County)
Donna.White@ncleg.gov
919-733-5605
Rep. Shelly Willingham (Bertie, Edgecombe, Martin Counties)
Shelly.Willingham@ncleg.gov
919-715-3024
AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) will continue to closely monitor this legislation and provide updates as they become available. For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.