Buncombe County, North Carolina

Sec. 6-58. Animal care

(a) It shall be unlawful for any owner or keeper to fail to provide his animals with adequate food, water, shelter, social interaction, a clean living environment free of debris and excessive waste, adequate exercise, veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering and with humane care and treatment. This requirement for social interaction does not apply to livestock. Any such violation shall be classified and charged as “neglect.” by way of illustration, and not limitation, if an officer deems that the dog has not had sufficient exercise off tether or social interaction such violation will constitute neglect.

(o) It shall be unlawful to tether an animal to a stationary object for a period of time or under conditions that an officer or animal cruelty investigator deems harmful or potentially harmful to the animal. Tethering may be allowed in certain cases if there is no sign of obvious neglect and the animal is not exhibiting health or temperament problems. Examples of improper tethering include, but are not limited to the following:

(1) Using a length or weight of tether that is not appropriate for the size, weight and age of the animal. An appropriate restraint must be a minimum of four times the length from the tip of the animal’s nose to the tip of the animal’s tail and shall be no less than 15 feet.

(2) Using tether that does not have swivels on both ends. All tethers must be attached to the animal by means of a properly fitting harness or collar of not less than one inch in width made of nylon or leather.

(3) Allowing an animal to be tethered such that the animal is not confined to the owner’s property or such that the tether can become entangled and prevent the animal from moving about freely, lying down