Orange County NC Website
Animal Control Ordinance <br />Adopted 1/21/2016 Unified Animal Control Ordinance <br />Effective 3/1/2016 <br />Sec. 4-38. - Animal control program. <br />The Orange County AnimalControl Program, as herein described and as <br />otherwise described inother County ordinances related toanimals andasotherwise <br />describedinthe laws of North Carolina, shall be administered bythe Animal Services <br />Director. Specifically: <br />(a) The Animal Services Director shall have the duties of AnimalControl Officer <br />anddirect the duties of designated County employees or agents incarrying out <br />the enforcement of this Ordinance asAnimalControl Officers including the <br />duties of RabiesControl Officers and AnimalCruelty Investigators. <br />(b) Except asmay beotherwiseprovided bylaw,noofficer, agent, or employee of <br />the County charged with the duty of enforcing the provisions of this Ordinance <br />or other applicablelaws, shall be personally liable for any damage thatmay <br />accrue topersons orproperty asa result of any act requiredor permitted in the <br />discharge of such duty unless he or she acts with actualmalice. <br />(c) AnimalControlOfficersshallhavetheauthoritytoenterontoandinspectany <br />premises,dwelling,roomingunits,barnsandotheroutbuildings,anypartof <br />thecurtilagethereof,oranyenclosureto(1) conduct any investigation of a <br />dog alleged or suspected of being potentially dangerous or dangerous; or (2) <br />apprehend a dog determined to be potentially dangerous or dangerous or as <br />to which there is reasonable suspicion to believe is potentially dangerous or <br />dangerous; or (3) impound an animal determined to be in imminent danger <br />due to Cruel Treatment or as to which there is reasonable suspicion to <br />believe is in imminent danger due to Cruel Treatment; or (4) investigate any <br />violation of this Chapter; or (5) serve a citation upon a person for violation of <br />this Chapter.Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Animal Control Officer shall <br />only make such entry upon consent, pursuant to an administrative search <br />warrant under G.S. 15-27.2, or otherwise as authorized by law. <br />(b)(d) Itshall be unlawful for any person tointerfere with, hinder,or molest any <br />AnimalControl or police officer while inthe performance ofany duty <br />authorized bythis Ordinance, or to seek torelease any animal inthe custody <br />of said officers,except inthe manner asherein provided. <br />(c)(e) AnimalControl Officers are not authorized tocarry ontheir person firearms of <br />any kind except asprovided herein. The Orange County Animal Control <br />Program may store firearms atthe Animal Services Department anduse those <br />firearms when necessary toenforce sections of this Chapter or under <br />applicable law for the control of wild, dangerous, or diseasedanimals. <br />5ORD-2018-030 Attachment1