- Always keep a collar with identifying tags on your dog, (except when crated at home for safety)
- Have your dog microchipped in the event that he is found and brought to a hospital or shelter
- Obtain a county license for your dog
- Never leave your dog unattended, unleashed, (except for designated areas), or outdoors while an adult is not home
- Do not leave a dog unattended that is contained by an Invisible Fence where a physical fence is not also implemented
- Lock Doggie doors while you are not home
- Obey leash laws – they are in place to not only protect other people and pets, but also your dog. Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s Leash Law is as follows, (and is an excellent rule of thumb for areas without leash laws implemented):
- The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have strict leash laws that apply to all animals except cats (see the nuisance animal section for laws pertaining to cats).Animals must be on a leash, contained within a fence or an operable and marked invisible fence. The invisible fence company should give owners a sign to place at the mailbox to indicate that there is an invisible fence present.An animal may be loose in its own yard if there is an adult (18 years or older) immediately next to the animal and the animal responds to direct verbal commands of the person.ALL dog owners that take their dogs for walks in their neighborhoods and/or in public parks (not designated as a dog park) are required to keep their dogs on leash and under physical restraint at ALL TIMES. Please note that having the leash in your possession and not attached to the dog is not considered having the dog on a leash and you will still be subject to a fine.All regulations aim to protect the health and safety of our citizens. Please be a responsible pet owner and abide by the law. Violations will be investigated and stiff fines may be applied. Fines range from a $50.00 citation for the first violation and up to a $500.00 citation and permanent seizure of the animal for a fifth violation.To report an animal at large, please call 311. Please note that it could take up to 4 hours for an officer to respond. Any information about where the owner lives would help greatly.There are dog parks in Char-Meck that will allow pet owners to let their dogs off-leash in a fenced in and controlled area. To find where these parks are located and the rules for participation, visit the Dog Parks page.
