North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 19A Protection of Animals

Article 1 - Civil Remedy for Protection of Animals.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-1. Definitions
The following definitions apply in this Article: (1) The term "animals" includes every living vertebrate in the classes Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, and Mammalia except human...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-1.1. Exemptions
This Article shall not apply to the following: (1) The lawful taking of animals under the jurisdiction and regulation of the Wildlife Resources Commission, except...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-2. Purpose
It shall be the purpose of this Article to provide a civil remedy for the protection and humane treatment of animals in addition to any...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-3. Preliminary injunction; care of animal pending hearing on the merits
(a) Upon the filing of a verified complaint in the district court in the county in which cruelty to an animal has allegedly occurred, the...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-4. Permanent injunction
(a) In accordance with G.S. 1A‑1, Rule 65, a district court judge in the county in which the original action was brought shall determine the...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-5 through 19A-9. Reserved for future codification purposes

Article 2 - Protection of Black Bears.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-10. Unlawful to buy, sell or enclose (except as provided) black bear
Except as otherwise provided in applicable statutes, it shall be unlawful for any person to buy or sell black bears or for any person, firm...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-11. Inapplicable to bona fide zoos, etc
The provisions of this Article shall not apply to bona fide zoos which are operated by federal, State, or local governmental agencies, or to educational...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-12. Possession of black bear on July 1, 1975; surrender of bear; modification of facilities; forfeiture
Any person, firm or corporation in possession of a black bear on July 1, 1975, under an existing permit issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission,...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-13. Violation of Article
Violation of the provisions of this Article shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor. (1975, c. 56, s. 4; 1993, c. 539, s. 314; 1994, Ex....

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-14. Enforcement of Article
Law‑enforcement officers of the Wildlife Resources Commission and all other peace officers are authorized and empowered to enforce the provisions of this Article. (1975, c....

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-15 through 19A-19. Reserved for future codification purposes

Article 3 - Animal Welfare Act.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-20. Title of Article
This Article may be cited as the Animal Welfare Act. (1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1217, s. 1.)

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-21. Purposes
The purposes of this Article are (i) to protect the owners of dogs and cats from the theft of such pets; (ii) to prevent the...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-22. Animal Welfare Section in Animal Health Division of Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services created; Director
There is hereby created within the Animal Health Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, a new section thereof, to be...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-23. Definitions
For the purposes of this Article, the following terms, when used in the Article or the rules or orders made pursuant thereto, shall be construed...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-24. Powers of Board of Agriculture
The Board of Agriculture shall: (1) Establish standards for the care of animals at animal shelters, boarding kennels, pet shops, and public auctions. A boarding...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-25. Employees; investigations; right of entry
For the enforcement of the provisions of this Article, the Director is authorized, subject to the approval of the Commissioner to appoint employees as are...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-26. Certificate of registration required for animal shelter
No person shall operate an animal shelter unless a certificate of registration for such animal shelter shall have been granted by the Director. Application for...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-27. License required for operation of pet shop
No person shall operate a pet shop unless a license to operate such establishment shall have been granted by the Director. Application for such license...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-28. License required for public auction or boarding kennel
No person shall operate a public auction or a boarding kennel unless a license to operate such establishment shall have been granted by the Director....

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-29. License required for dealer
No person shall be a dealer unless a license to deal shall have been granted by the Director to such person. Application for such license...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-30. Refusal, suspension or revocation of certificate or license
The Director may refuse to issue or renew or may suspend or revoke a certificate of registration for any animal shelter or a license for...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-31. License not transferable; change in management, etc., of business or operation
A license is not transferable. When there is a transfer of ownership, management, or operation of a business of a licensee hereunder, the new owner,...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-32. Procedure for review of Director's decisions
A denial, suspension, or revocation of a certificate or license under this Article shall be made in accordance with Chapter 150B of the General Statutes....

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-33. Penalty for operation of pet shop, kennel or auction without license
Operation of a pet shop, kennel, or public auction without a currently valid license shall constitute a Class 3 misdemeanor subject only to a penalty...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-34. Penalty for acting as dealer without license; disposition of animals in custody of unlicensed dealer
Acting as a dealer in animals as defined in this Article without a currently valid dealer's license shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor. Continued illegal...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-35. Penalty for failure to adequately care for animals; disposition of animals
Failure of any person licensed or registered under this Article to adequately house, feed, and water animals in his possession or custody shall constitute a...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-36. Penalty for violation of Article by dog warden
Violation of any provision of this Article which relates to the seizing, impoundment, and custody of an animal by a dog warden shall constitute a...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-37. Application of Article
This Article shall not apply to a place or establishment which is operated under the immediate supervision of a duly licensed veterinarian as a hospital...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-38. Use of license fees
All license fees collected shall be used in enforcing and administering this Article. (1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1217, s. 19.)

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-39. Article inapplicable to establishments for training hunting dogs
Nothing in this Article shall apply to those kennels or establishments operated primarily for the purpose of boarding or training hunting dogs. (1977, 2nd Sess.,...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-40. Civil Penalties
The Director may assess a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) against any person who violates a provision of this Article...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-41. Legal representation by the Attorney General
It shall be the duty of the Attorney General to represent the Commissioner of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, or to...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-42. Reserved for future codification purposes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-43. Reserved for future codification purposes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-44. Reserved for future codification purposes

Article 4 - Animal Cruelty Investigators.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-45. Appointment of animal cruelty investigators; term of office; removal; badge; oath; bond
(a) The board of county commissioners is authorized to appoint one or more animal cruelty investigators to serve without any compensation or other employee benefits...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-46. Powers; magistrate's order; execution of order; petition; notice to owner
(a) Whenever any animal is being cruelly treated as defined in G.S. 19A‑1(2), an animal cruelty investigator may file with a magistrate a sworn complaint...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-47. Care of seized animals
The investigator must take any animal he seizes directly to some safe and secure place and provide suitable care for it. The necessary expenses of...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-48. Interference unlawful
It shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor, to interfere with an animal cruelty investigator in the performance of his official duties. (1979, c. 808, s....

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-49. Educational requirements
Each animal cruelty investigator at his own expense must attend annually a course of at least six hours instruction offered by the North Carolina Humane...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-50 through 19A-59. Reserved for future codification purposes

Article 5 - Spay/Neuter Program.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-60. Legislative findings
The General Assembly finds that the uncontrolled breeding of cats and dogs in the State has led to unacceptable numbers of unwanted dogs, puppies and...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-61. Spay/Neuter Program established
There is established in the Department of Health and Human Services a statewide program to foster the spaying and neutering of dogs and cats for...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-62. Spay/Neuter Account established
(a) Creation. The Spay/Neuter Account is established as a nonreverting special revenue account in the Department of Health and Human Services. The Account consists of...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-63. Eligibility for distributions from Spay/Neuter Account
(a) A county or city is eligible for reimbursement from the Spay/Neuter Account if it meets the following condition: (1) The county or city offers...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-64. Distributions to counties and cities from Spay/Neuter Account
(a) Reimbursable Costs. Counties and cities eligible for distributions from the Spay/Neuter Account may receive reimbursement for the direct costs of a spay/neuter surgical procedure...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-65. Annual Report Required From Every Animal Shelter in Receipt of State or Local Funding
Every county or city animal shelter, or animal shelter operated under contract with a county or city or otherwise in receipt of State or local...

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-66. Reserved for future codification purposes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-67. Reserved for future codification purposes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-68. Reserved for future codification purposes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-69. Reserved for future codification purposes

Article 6 - Care of Animal Subjected to Illegal Treatment.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 19A-70. Care of animal subjected to illegal treatment
(a) In every arrest under any provision of Article 47 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes or under G.S. 67‑4.3 or upon the commencement...

Last modified: August 6, 2008

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