(A) No person shall allow any dog owned by such person or which is placed in such person’s control or custody to run at large anywhere in the city. Any dog found upon the streets of the city or in any public place or upon the property of others, even though licensed by the city or county shall be deemed to be running at large unless he or she shall be attached to a leash held by the owner or some other person in whose care the dog is placed. Nothing in this section is to be construed to prevent the owner of a dog from permitting such dog to run at large upon such owner’s property or property leased or rented by the owner; provided that, whether on the owner’s premises or not, the dog shall be attended at all times by, and under the control, of a competent person, when off an owner’s premises this includes leashed as required above. A COMPETENT PERSON being defined as a person of suitable age and discretion to keep a specific dog under sufficient control in order to prevent harm to the dog, to persons, to other animals or to property.
(B) (1) All dogs found running at large, as defined in this section, shall be subject to being picked up by the Animal Control Officer and impounded.
(2) After impounding, the Animal Control Officer shall notify the owner thereof, if known, as soon as practical. If the owner shall fail to call for the dog within a period of three days after being so notified and shall fail to pay a pickup fee for the impounding of the dog together with a per diem amount for its keep, then the Animal Control Officer shall hold the dog an additional three days within which time any person may purchase the animal from the dog pound and, if no purchase is made, then the dog shall be disposed of in a manner which the Animal Control Officer may deem most expedient and humane and any monies realized from pickup fees, boarding fees or other fees for disposition of dogs shall be deposited in the Rabies Control Fund of the county.
(2005 Code, § 6-45) (Ord. passed 11-5-2001) Penalty, see § 90.99
Statutory reference:
Bitch at large, see G.S. § 67-2
Dog at large at night, see G.S. § 67-12