(A) It shall be unlawful for any owner to keep any vicious or dangerous animal within the county, unless it is confined within a secure building or enclosure as determined by the Animal Control Officer, or unless it is securely muzzled and under control by a competent person who, by means of a chain, has the animal firmly under control at all times. The premises on which any animal under this section is confined shall be clearly marked with a warning sign.
(B) Following are additional requirements or precautions which shall be taken by owners of vicious or dangerous animals when directed by the Animal Control Officers, to wit:
(1) Whenever outside its building or enclosure, but while on the owner’s property, a vicious or dangerous animal must be attended by the owner and restrained by a secure collar and leash of sufficient strength to prevent escape. No vicious or dangerous animal shall be chained, tethered or otherwise tied to any inanimate object, such as a tree, post or building outside of its own building or enclosure.
(2) For owners of vicious or dangerous animals who maintain their animals out of doors, a portion of the owner’s property shall be fenced with a perimeter or area fence. Within this perimeter or area fence, the vicious or dangerous animal must be humanely confined inside a pen or kennel of adequate size. The pen or kennel may not share common fencing with the area or perimeter fence. The kennel or pen must have secure sides; a secure top attached to all sides; and sides either buried two feet under the ground, sunken into a concrete pad or securely attached to a wire bottom. The gate to the kennel must be locked with a padlock or combination type lock.
(3) All animals subject to this section are required to be micro chipped at the owner’s expense within a period not to exceed two weeks from the time the animal is deemed to be subject to this section.
(C) (1) If an owner or custodian of an animal subject to this section does not comply with these requirements within a period of two weeks after the receipt of written notice from the Animal Control Officer; or if death or personal injury with medical expenses exceeding $300 have resulted from an unprovoked attack by an animal; or if an animal has been previously declared to be a potentially vicious or dangerous animal or a vicious and dangerous animal, the animal shall be immediately euthanized under the supervision of the Animal Control Officer.
(2) Should the Animal Control Officer find that an animal has attacked a person causing bodily harm without being teased, molested, provoked, beaten, tortured or otherwise harmed, he or she shall report same to the County Health Director, as per G.S. § 130A-200.
(3) The Animal Control Officer shall notify the owner of an animal, which he or she has determined to be vicious or dangerous following an investigation, that the provisions of this chapter shall apply to the animal. The owner of the animal shall either release same to the Animal Control Officer for destruction as provided elsewhere in this chapter, or keep the animal confined, as provided in § 93.04 of this chapter.
(D) The Animal Control Officer can declare an animal to be a potentially vicious or dangerous animal following an investigation and take any action authorized by this chapter including requiring compliance with any of those procedures set forth under § 93.04(C) of this chapter.
(Prior Code, § 1.04) Penalty, see § 93.99
Statutory reference:
County authority to control and regulate the possession of dangerous animals, see G.S. §§ 67-4.5 and 153A-131