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,477 <br />Tag Committee Report July 3&, 2007 <br />APPENDIXIi'- <br />Notes from Interviews with North Carolina Awisdkdons with Tethering <br />Ordxances- Conducted by the Tethering Convn& e <br />T Ire following is a swmnm y of comments from A mnal Sawces qftials from New Hanover County. <br />the City ofLaw*&mrg imd Catawba County, made in telephone interviews. Tlie Tethering <br />Commiftee conducted these interviews on April Its; 2007 as apart of its i#brrnation gathering. <br />Dr. dean McNeil. Animal Control Services Manaser <br />New over County. <br />THE LAW: Prohibits tethering. Recently amended to add "aftendcC to the law so that dogs can be <br />tethered if their owner is present. Thcy enacted a ban as opposed to time limits on tethering because <br />time limits are difficult to enforce because they would have to rely on a neighbor's. testimony. <br />WHY ENACTED: County felt that tax dollars were being wasted responding to chaining <br />complaints. Also enacted because of the cruelty issues Dr. McNeil and her officers were seeing. <br />The county also wa ntad to promote a higher standard of putt ownership. <br />ENFORCEMENT: Violation ofthe law rasolts in a civil fine. Violators have 60 days to correct the <br />violation, if they do, the fine is cancelled. If the fine is not paid, it is sent to the county legal <br />depuuiment for collection. As a government agency, the county can gamish a person's wages. New. <br />Hanover does not have the power of impoundment. They do not take people to court; the <br />enforcement is handled in-house by the Iegal department. <br />PHASE IN New Hanover had a two -year educabion period during which only warning notices <br />were given. Dr. McNeil felt that two yam was too long. <br />RESULTS OF ORDINANCE: The law bas resulted in very few dogs being smx=Amed. Neglect <br />calls have decreased. They get about 30 tethering-related, complaints a month. Some dogs probably <br />have run loose hart those are the people who have no desire to be responsible pet owners. <br />PUBLIC REACT ION: Support withmt the county. Majority of opposition has come from <br />elsewhere. <br />Elaine Modlin. Animal Control Officer <br />City of LaurinbuM Animal Control Department Scotland County <br />THE LAW: In 1988, Laurinburg passed a law limiting tethering to 8 hours a day. It was difficult to <br />enforce. In 2000, they changed it to one -hour and the change made enforcement much easier. The <br />27 <br />