Orange County, NC Mistreatment of Animals
Type: County Code
Status: Adopted via ordinance on 6/16/87
Source File: http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?sid=33&pid=13166
Text:
ARTICLE II. ANIMAL CONTROL
DIVISION 1. GENERALLY
Sec. 4-41. Mistreatment of animals unlawful.
The following acts or failure to act relating to the mistreatment of animals are unlawful and violations of this article:
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to subject or cause to be subjected any animal to cruel treatment or to deprive or cause to be deprived any animal of adequate food and water. With respect to domesticated animals or wild animals in captivity or under restraint, it shall additionally be unlawful to deprive or cause to be deprived any such animal of adequate shelter or veterinary care.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale, barter or give away within the county baby chickens, baby ducklings or other fowl under six weeks of age or rabbits under eight weeks of age as pets, toys, premiums or novelties; however, this subsection shall not be construed to prohibit the sale or display of such baby chickens, ducklings or other fowl or such rabbits in proper facilities with adequate food, water and shelter, by breeders or stores engaged in the business of selling the animals for purposes other than as pets or novelties.
(3) It shall be unlawful to color, dye, stain or otherwise change the natural color of baby chickens or other fowl or rabbits.
(4) It shall be unlawful for any person to tether any fowl.
(5) It shall be unlawful to restrain any animal except in a humane fashion; minimum standards of restraint are set out in section 4-33, under the definition of "under restraint."
(6) It shall be unlawful for any person to entice or lure any animal out of an enclosure or off the property of its owner or keeper, or to seize, molest or tease any animal while the animal is held or controlled by its owner or keeper or while the animal is on or off the property of its owner or keeper.
(7) It shall be unlawful to possess any paraphernalia related to dogfighting, cockfighting or other animal fighting, including but not limited to gaffs.
(8) It shall be unlawful for any person to transport an animal in the closed trunk of a vehicle, or closed compartment on a vehicle or trailer when the ambient temperature in the vicinity of the vehicle or trailer is greater than or equal to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
(9) It shall be unlawful for any person to commit any of the acts made unlawful under the provisions of G.S. 14-362, as they relate to dogs, or to commit any other act made unlawful by any other law of the state relating to animal fighting or animal baiting. The repeal of such laws of the state shall have no effect upon this subsection, and the acts made unlawful in this subsection shall, in the event of such repeal, be those referred to in the laws immediately prior to such repeal.
(10) It shall be unlawful for any person to abandon or forsake any animal within the county.
(Ord. of 6-16-1987, § XI, eff. 1-1-1988)