Effective November 19th, 2009, Orange County's Animal Ordinance will restrict the tethering of dogs to a maximum of 3 hours within a 24-hour period. The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the amendment, along with a year of outreach and a number of specific exceptions, in November of 2008.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click HERE for Spanish Version)

Summary

Exceptions

Jurisdictions

Resources

Background

Supporting Documents

Please find below the ordinance amendment itself and supporting documents related to the amendment.

Tethering Amendment (Effective November 19th, 2009)

Animal Services Standard Operating Guidelines

Tethering

Tethering Enforcement and Addendum

Tethering Progress Reports

June 2009

December 2009

May 2010

Tethering Committee's Full Report and Recommendations

The Town of Chapel Hill has enacted its own set of tethering restrictions, effective March 23, 2010.

Tethering Enforcement in Chapel Hill

County Ordinance

The link below provides access to the Animal Control sections of the Code of Ordinances of Orange County. It is not intended to serve as the official County Code for Orange County and may not include recent amendments to the County Code. Current information is available from records in the County Clerk’s office in the official minutes of the Orange County Board of Commissioners.

Animal Control Ordinance

Other Ordinances

Orange County's Animal Control ordinance applies only to the unincorporated parts of the County and Hillsborough (which chooses to adopt the County's ordinance). The Townships of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Mebane have their own animal ordinances (as listed below).

Township Ordinances

See Chapter 4 of the Chapel Hill Town Code.

See Chapter 10 of the Carrboro Town Code.

Other Resources

State Organizations

National Organizations

Disaster Preparedness

Influenza in Pets and Other Animals

1601 Eubanks Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 942-PETS (7387)

Last modified Monday, March 18, 2013
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