LAWS & PROCEDURES
The Jackson County Animal Ordinance and procedures for adopting or relinquishing animals was adopted on January 22, 2008 and amended in June 2008. Notable features of the Ordinance include:
VACCINATION OF ALL DOGS AND CATS
The owner of every dog and cat over four (4) months of age shall have the animal vaccinated against Rabies. The time or times of vaccination shall be established by the Commission. Rabies vaccine shall be administered only be a licensed veterinarian or by a certified rabies vaccinator.
RELINQUISHING AN ANIMAL
Before you surrender your pet, you should browse our site to learn about low-cost options for obedience training, behavior modification, and spay/neuter. Most animal behavior problems can be fixed with a little work. Call us. We can refer you to dog obedience trainers or just give you some helpful hints over the phone that may allow you to continue living with your pet.
If you relinquish your animal, please call ahead to see if we have room. Do not tie animals to our gate or abandon them.
ANIMAL ABANDONMENT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE
Per GS 14-361.1.1, animal abandonment is a crime. Any persons being the owner or possessor, or having charge or custody of an animal, who willfully and without justifiable excuse abandons the animal is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
Please be prepared to spend some time with a staff member at the Animal Shelter if you come to surrender your pet. Bring your pet to the Shelter yourself. Owner information is very helpful in placing your pet in a home that matches its needs. You will be asked to fill out a personality profile on our pet.
REMEMBER...
- It is illegal to sell or give away your animals at Walmart or any other public place unless you are a licensed pet store, 501(c)3 non-profit organization, or a licensed shelter. See Section 15 in the Jackson County Animal Ordinance.
- You can file nuisance complaints with the magistrate. See Section 16 in the Jackson County Animal Ordinance.
- The ARC's mandatory animal hold for strays in three (3) business days. After that, the animal will be made available for adoption or euthanized. See Section 6 in the Jackson County Animal Ordinance.