Bill
HB 657
Establishes statewide minimum care standards for dogs and cats, covering housing, feeding, water, exercise, veterinary care, shelter in extreme weather, and tethering rules.
Status & Procedural History
- Introduced April 1–2, 2025; passed First Reading April 2, 2025.
- Referred to: Wildlife Resources (primary); if favorable → Judiciary 2; then Rules.
- Would add a new § 14‑360.5 to Article 47 of Chapter 14 of the North Carolina General Statutes.
- Primary sponsors: Representatives Ross, Carney, Cotham, and Ward.
Purpose / Intent
- Establish statewide minimum standards of care for companion animals (defined as domestic dogs and domestic cats) to reduce suffering and clarify owner responsibilities.
Key Provisions
- Duty of owners: Any person who owns a companion animal must provide the following minimum standards:
- Adequate care (good animal husbandry, humane handling, transport, euthanasia when necessary).
- Adequate exercise (opportunity to move sufficiently for normal muscle tone appropriate to age/size/condition).
- Adequate feed (sufficient quantity and nutrition; accessible; prepared for ease of consumption; provided cleanly and at appropriate intervals — at least once daily unless a veterinarian prescribes otherwise).
- Adequate shelter (suitable for species/age/condition; protects from injury and weather; properly lighted, cleaned and allows animals to remain clean and dry; shading and thermal protections; bedding when ambient temperature < 32°F; for dogs and cats, a solid resting surface that is sanitary).
- Adequate space (room to stand, sit, lie, turn, and make normal body movements; safe interaction with other animals).
- Adequate water (clean, fresh, potable water in appropriate receptacles and volumes given weather/conditions).
- Appropriate veterinary treatment, including emergency veterinary treatment (stabilize life‑threatening conditions, alleviate suffering, prevent disease progression/transmission).
Tethering: Specific rules when animals are tethered:
Shelter & extreme weather: Shelter must prevent exposure to heat/cold and other hazards. “Extreme weather” is defined to include hurricane/tropical storm warnings, heat advisories, severe weather warnings, and outdoor temps ≥85°F or ≤32°F; tethering outdoors during extreme weather is not considered adequate shelter.
Definitions and Scope
- “Companion animal” = domestic dog or domestic cat; expressly excludes animals raised for human consumption (meat, milk, eggs).
- The bill provides detailed statutory definitions for terms such as “adequate shelter,” “adequate feed,” “adequate water,” “adequate exercise,” “emergency veterinary treatment,” and “extreme weather.”
Exceptions
- Requirements regarding adequate shelter and space do not apply when a dog is:
- Used in a lawful hunt;
- Restrained while engaged in shepherding/herding or cultivating agricultural activities;
- Restrained in accordance with camping or recreational area rules.
Enforcement & Penalties
- The text provided creates care standards but (in the excerpt) does not specify enforcement mechanisms or penalties. Implementation/enforcement would likely rely on existing animal cruelty/neglect statutes and local animal control authorities unless the bill elsewhere provides new enforcement provisions.
Who Is Affected
- Primary: owners/caretakers of dogs and cats in North Carolina.
- Secondary: animal control agencies, local law enforcement, veterinarians, rescue organizations, shelters, and courts (if enforcement actions arise).
Potential Impacts
- Clarifies minimum caretaker duties and provides specific, measurable standards (e.g., tether length/weight, temperature thresholds) that can guide enforcement and prosecutions for neglect/abuse under existing law.
- May increase calls for animal welfare investigations and create clearer grounds for intervention. The bill excludes farm animals raised for consumption and certain working/hunting contexts.
For further review
- Read the full bill text of § 14‑360.5 for any additional procedural sections, penalties, or enforcement instructions that may be included beyond the excerpt summarized here.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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