Duke's Rescue Act.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 2
HOUSE BILL 657
Committee Substitute Favorable 6/16/26

Short Title: Duke's Rescue Act. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
April 2, 2025
*H657-v-2*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO PROVIDE MINIMAL STANDARDS OF CARE FOR COMPANION ANIMALS. 2
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 3
SECTION 1. Article 47 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding 4
a new section to read: 5
"§ 14-360.5. Care of companion animals. 6
(a) Minimum Standards. – Except as set forth in subsection (b) of this section, any person 7
who owns a companion animal shall provide all of the following: 8
(1) Adequate care. 9
(2) Adequate exercise. 10
(3) Adequate feed. 11
(4) Adequate shelter. 12
(5) Adequate space. 13
(6) Adequate water. 14
(7) Appropriate veterinary treatment, including emergency veterinary treatment. 15
(b) Exception. – The requirements of this section pertaining to adequate shelter and 16
adequate space shall not apply to any of the following: 17
(1) Dogs used or kept for the purpose of lawful hun ting, sledding, sporting , or 18
field trials or events where tethering or sheltering the dog in a particular 19
manner is integral to the training or conditioning of the dog for one of those 20
purposes. 21
(2) The conduct of obedience training, field and water training, law enforcement 22
training, or other dog training activities where tethering or sheltering the dog 23
in a particular manner is integral to those activities. 24
(3) The use of a restraint on a dog while the owner and dog engage in conduct 25
directly related to the business of shepherding or herding cattle or livestock. 26
(4) The use of a restraint on a dog while the owner and dog engage in conduct 27
directly related to the business of cultivating agricultural products. 28
(5) The use of a restraint on a dog pursuant to the requirements of a camping or 29
recreational area. 30
(c) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section: 31
(1) Adequate care. – The responsible practice of good animal husbandry, 32
handling, confinement, feeding, watering, protection, shelter, transportation, 33
treatment, and, when necessary, euthanasia, appropriate for the age, species, 34
condition, size, a nd type of the animal and the provision of veterinary care 35
when needed to prevent suffering or impairment of health. 36
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 657-Second Edition
(2) Adequate exercise. – The opportunity for the animal to move sufficiently to 1
maintain normal muscle tone and mass for the age, species, size, and condition 2
of the animal. 3
(3) Adequate feed. – The provision of food meeting all of the following 4
requirements: 5
a. It is of sufficient quantity and nutritive value to maintain the animal in 6
good health. 7
b. It is accessible to the animal. 8
c. It is prepared so as to permit ease of consumption for the animal's age, 9
species, condition, size, and type. 10
d. It is provided in a clean and sanitary manner to minimize 11
contamination by excrement and pests. 12
e. It is provided at suitable intervals for the species, age, and condition 13
of the animal, but at least once daily, except as otherwise prescribed 14
by a veterinarian. 15
(4) Adequate shelter. – Shelter that meets all of the conditions of this subdivision. 16
Adequate shelter does not include the outdoor tethering of an animal during 17
any period of extreme weather at the site where the animal is tethered. 18
a. The shelter is suitable for the species, age, condition, size, and type of 19
each animal. 20
b. The shelter protects eac h animal from injury, rain, sleet, snow, hail, 21
direct sunlight, the adverse effects of heat or cold, physical suffering, 22
and impairment of health. 23
c. The shelter is properly lighted and cleaned and enables each animal to 24
remain clean and dry, except when d etrimental to the species. For 25
purposes of this subdivision, shelter is proper ly cleaned when (i) 26
carcasses, debris, food waste, and excrement are removed from the 27
primary enclosure with sufficient frequency to minimize the animals ' 28
contact with those contaminants; (ii) the primary enclosure is sanitized 29
with sufficient frequency to minimize odors and the hazards of 30
disease; and (iii) the primary enclosure is cleaned so as to prevent the 31
animals confined therein from being directly or indirectly sprayed with 32
the stream of water or directly or indirectly exposed to hazardous 33
chemicals or disinfectants. 34
d. The shelter is properly shaded and does not readily conduct heat during 35
periods when the ambient air temperature at the shelter is greater than 36
85 degrees Fahrenheit. 37
e. The shelter provides a windbreak at its entrance and, during periods 38
when the ambient air temperature at the shelter is less than 32 degrees 39
Fahrenheit, bedding material consisting of straw, cedar shavings, or 40
the equivalent sufficient to protect the animal from cold and promote 41
the retention of body heat. 42
f. For dogs and cats, the shelter provides a solid surface, resting platform, 43
pad, floormat, or similar device that is large enough for the animal to 44
lie on in a normal manner and can be maintained in a sanitary manner. 45
g. The shelter's wire, grid, or slat floors (i) do not permit the animals' feet 46
to pass through the openings, (ii) do not sag under the animals' weight, 47
and (iii) protect the animals' feet and toes from injury. 48
(5) Adequate space. – Sufficient space to allow each animal to (i) easily stand, sit, 49
lie, turn about, and make all other normal body movements in a comfortable, 50
normal position for the animal and (ii) interact safely with other animals in the 51
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 657-Second Edition Page 3
enclosure. Adequate space for an animal that is tethered also includes all of 1
the following: 2
a. The tether to which the animal is attached permits freedom of 3
movement and is appropriate to the age and size of the animal; is 4
attached to the animal by a properly applied collar, halter, or harness 5
configured so as to protect the animal from injury and prev ent the 6
animal or tether from becoming entangled with other objects or 7
animals or from extending over an object or edge that could result in 8
the strangulation or injury of the animal. 9
b. The tether is at least 15 feet in length or four times the length of the 10
animal, as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail, 11
whichever is greater, except when the animal is being walked on a 12
leash or is attached by a tether to a lead line; does not, by its material, 13
size, or weight or any other characteris tic, cause injury or pain to the 14
animal. 15
c. The tether does not weigh more than one -tenth of the animal 's body 16
weight and does not have weights or other heavy objects attached to 17
it. 18
d. Tethering does not include the walking of an animal on a leash. 19
(6) Adequate water. – The provision of access to clean, fresh, potable water of a 20
drinkable temperature that meets the following requirements: 21
a. The water is provided in a suitable manner, in sufficient volume, and 22
at suitable intervals appropriate for the weather and temperature to 23
maintain normal hydration for the age, species, condition, size , and 24
type of each animal, except as prescribed by a veterinarian or as 25
dictated by naturally occurring states of hibernation or fasting normal 26
for the species. 27
b. The water is provided in clean, durable receptacles that are accessible 28
to each animal and are placed so as to minimize contamination of the 29
water by excrement and pests or an alternative source of hydration 30
consistent with generally accepted husbandry practices. 31
(7) Companion animal. – Any domestic dog or domestic cat. The term does not 32
include animals being raised for human consumption, whether for their meat, 33
milk, or eggs. 34
(8) Emergency veterinary treatment. – Veterinary treatment to stabilize a 35
life-threatening condition, alleviate suffering, prevent further disease 36
transmission, or prevent further disease progression. 37
(9) Extreme weather. – Any of the following: 38
a. The effective period for a severe weather warning issued for the area 39
by the National Weather Service, including a hurricane, tropical storm, 40
winter storm, tornado, or severe thunderstorm warning. 41
b. The effective period for a heat advisory issued by a local or State 42
authority. 43
c. Any period when the actual or effective outdoor temperature is (i) at 44
or in excess of 85 degrees Fahrenheit or (ii) at or below 32 degrees 45
Fahrenheit. 46
(10) Owner, or to own. – With respect to companion animals, includes any person 47
who (i) has a right of property in an animal , (ii) keeps or harbors an animal , 48
(iii) has an animal in his or her care, or (iv) acts as a custodian of an animal. 49
(11) Tethering. – To restrain a companion animal by tying the animal to any object 50
or structure, including a house, tree, fence, post, garage, or shed, by any 51
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
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means, including, without limitation, a chain, rope, cord, leash, or running 1
line. Tethering shall not include the use of a leash to walk a companion animal 2
and shall not include the use of a restraint on a dog during transport, grooming, 3
veterinary care or while the owner and dog are engaged in training, shows, or 4
competition. 5
(12) Veterinary treatment. – Treatment of a companion animal by or on the order 6
of a duly licensed veterinarian. 7
(d) Violation. – A violation of this section is punishable as follows: 8
(1) For a first offense under this section, the person is guilty of a Class 3 9
misdemeanor. 10
(2) For a second or subsequent offense under this section, the person is guilty of 11
a Class 2 misdemeanor." 12
SECTION 2. Any local ordinances regulating the standard of care for comp anion 13
animals that were adopted prior to the date this act becomes law may remain in effect after this 14
act becomes law. The governing body of a county or city may adopt ordinances regulating the 15
standard of care for companion animals after the date this act becomes law if the ordinances meet 16
or exceed the requirements of G.S. 14-360.5, as enacted in Section 1 of this act. 17
SECTION 3. The sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in nonrecurring funds for 18
the 2026 -2027 fiscal year is appropriated to the Departme nt of Agriculture and Consumer 19
Services for the Animal Welfare Section for costs related to public education and educational 20
materials pertaining to the companion animal standards set forth in this act. 21
SECTION 4. Section 1 of this act becomes effective December 1, 2026, and applies 22
to offenses committed on or after that date. Section 3 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2026. 23
This remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law. 24