Nancy McFarlane
The Raleigh city council will consider a new animal tethering ordinance at its next meeting. Councilor Nancy McFarlane (District A) had asked the city manager for a report on where the city stands with animal tethering. The city has no ordinance on the books dealing with tying up pets, but rather relies on state animal cruelty laws.
City Attorney Tom McCormick will draft a resolution for the next council meeting.
Durham and Orange counties have both passed animal tethering laws recently. Mayor Charles Meeker said he was concerned that the laws in other counties took a while to get in place, with up to a year from passing the law to having it go into effect. Meeker said he’d prefer to have the law go into effect in 4 to 6 months. According to the city attorney, no public hearing would be required to pass an ordinance.
James West (District C) said one fo his constituents urged him to note that there are very aggressive dogs, like pit bulls and Rottweilers, that would require a strong enclosure if their owners could not use a tether. McCormick said he would note that issue in drafting the proposal.
