{"id":472,"date":"2026-06-16T23:04:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T23:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northcarolinamovingjournal.com\/?p=472"},"modified":"2026-06-16T23:04:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T23:04:09","slug":"anti-tethering-bill-for-companion-animals-advances-in-nc-house-but-its-future-is-uncertain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northcarolinamovingjournal.com\/?p=472","title":{"rendered":"Anti-tethering bill for companion animals advances in NC House, but its future is uncertain"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A bill that would establish minimum standards of care for domestic dogs and cats unanimously passed the North Carolina House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, but its future is uncertain as the session moves toward its end.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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House Bill 657<\/span> would require owners to provide care, exercise, food, shelter, space, water, and <\/span>veterinary treatment for \u201ccompanion animals,\u201d which the bill defines as only domestic dogs and cats.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The bill was named after Duke, a dog who was rescued after being found chained outside next to another dog who had starved to death. H657 would prohibit owners from tethering animals outside in extreme weather conditions, including in temperatures below 32 degrees and above 85 degrees Fahrenheit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A first violation would be a class three misdemeanor, and a second violation would be elevated to a class two misdemeanor, neither of which involves jail time or significant fines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Committee members questioned whether the punishment is sufficient, since under the state\u2019s current animal cruelty law, depriving animals of \u201cnecessary sustenance\u201d is a more serious class one misdemeanor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think people who are cruel to animals are cut below the rest of us, just to be blunt about it, and I\u2019d like to see some of them tethered to a tree for a couple three hours, just to see what it is like,\u201d Rep. Abe Johns (D-Wake) said during Tuesday\u2019s committee meeting.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rep. Stephen Ross (R-<\/span>Alamance), one of the bill\u2019s primary sponsors, said he worked with various organizations with concerns about the bill to create exceptions for dogs used for hunting, sport or shepherding. The committee also passed an amendment that allows domestic companions to be tethered by veterinarians or groomers when needed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Despite those carve-outs, Nathen Honaker, an attorney representing the North Carolina Sporting Dog Association, told the committee the group remain concerned about the ambiguity of the bill and doesn\u2019t think it\u2019s necessary because current law should cover the problem.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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