Garner, North Carolina

Sec. 3-11. Cruelty to animals.

(e) It shall be unlawful to tether, fasten, chain, tie or restrain an unattended dog to any tree, fence, post, dog house or any other object, provided, however, that this chapter shall not apply to dogs presently maintained in a fashion consistent with all existing town ordinances as of the effective date of the ordinance from which this chapter is derived so long as their owner(s) register the dog within sixty (60) days of the effective date of the ordinance from which this chapter is derived, with the registration form to contain a description of the dog (including name, breed, and age) and a current photograph of the dog.

(f) “Attended tethering” shall be permitted if the owner or other responsible person is present on the premises with the dog. Tethering of attended dogs shall be on a device of at least ten (10) feet long with a harness, collar or other device commensurate with the size of the dog and shall not exceed three (3) hours in continuous duration in a twenty-four-hour period.

(g) An owner must remove the dog from a tether within thirty (30) days of being notified by the animal control officer and have the dog housed indoors or in an appropriate outdoor enclosure. The animal control officer shall have the authority to take custody of any dog which remains tethered after the thirty-day notification period. Any owner reclaiming a dog seized for violation of the tethering ordinance shall be required to show proof of suitable outdoor housing.