CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s hard to walk a greenway or even go to a brewery in Charlotte without seeing a dog.
According to the U.S. News and World Report, Charlotte is in the top 40 best cities to be a dog owner. But with that comes a lot of people giving their dogs some freedom and keeping them off a leash.
Recently, there have been several posts on social media complaining about unleashed dogs and the consequences they can sometimes bring. CMPD Animal Care and Control officers were called nearly 700 times for dog attacks in 2022.
Anyone who is out in public in Mecklenburg County with a pet is required by law to always have them on a leash and under physical restraint. CMPD Animal Care and Control officials say this is for the safety of everybody.
“The reason the leash law is important is not all dogs get along with other dogs," Melissa Kniceley with CMPD Animal Care and Control said. "We see it here all the time, even though a dog may get along with the first three dogs it meets, that fourth dog, for some reason, it doesn’t get along with and a fight ensues.”
A walk should be an enjoyable exercise for a dog and its owner but post after post on social media shows off-leash dogs are at times, terrorizing neighbors. The latest incident happened in the Oakhurst neighborhood. Facebook comments indicate it's a common issue near the neighborhood garden.
Having a dog off its leash in public is against both county and city law, except in certain places, like dog parks. CMPD Animal Care and Control issued 795 leash law violations in 2022. The citations are issued in levels, with a warning being given on the first offense.
CMPD Animal Care and Control officials provided a breakdown of violations in 2022 by level:
- LEASH Law WARNINGS: 225
- LEASH Law 1: 399 violations
- LEASH Law 2: 98 violations
- LEASH Law 3: 41 violations
- LEASH Law 4: 16 violations
- LEASH Law 5: 16 violations
Officers use the warning as an opportunity to educate dog owners.
“If you get cited again, the fees are going to escalate," Knicely said. "They start at a $50 fine, then they go up to $500. And if you have five leash law violations, there’s going to be an investigation."
That could lead to Animal Care and Control permanently taking a dog.
Leash laws are meant to promote safety, for both the animals and their owners who can have better control over them. It’s also important that all dogs are leashed because some can be reactive, scared or defensive when they’re on a leash but another dog is not.
“Some of my clients who have fearful dogs or dogs who are more reactive on leash, I tell them to carry something that makes noise to help deter that other dog, like a whistle,” Chelsey Biosi, owner and lead trainer of Command Canine said.
Any neighborhood having issues can request an Animal Care and Control officer to speak about leash laws or any other issues with animals.
Contact Chloe Leshner at cleshner@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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