North Carolina legislation · 2025-2026 Session
North Carolina H657: Duke's Rescue Act.
Status: Introduced, June 16, 2026
What the bill says
An act to provide minimal standards of care for companion animals.
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROVIDE MINIMAL STANDARDS OF CARE FOR COMPANION ANIMALS. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: SECTION 1. Article 47 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read: "§ 14-360.5. Care of companion animals. (a) Minimum Standards. - Except as set forth in subsection (b) of this section, any person who owns a companion animal shall provide all of the following: (1) Adequate care. (2) Adequate exercise. (3) Adequate feed. (4) Adequate shelter. (5) Adequate space. (6) Adequate water. (7) Appropriate veterinary treatment, including emergency veterinary treatment. (b) Exception. - The requirements of this section pertaining to adequate shelter and adequate space shall not apply to any of the following: (1) Dogs used or kept for the purpose of lawful hunting, sledding, sporting, or field trials or events where tethering or sheltering the dog in a particular manner is integral to the training or conditioning of the dog for one of those purposes. (2) The conduct of obedience training, field and water training, law enforcement training, or other dog training activities where tethering or sheltering the dog in a particular manner is integral to those activities. (3) The use of a restraint on a dog while the owner and dog engage in conduct directly related …
Sponsors
- Ross, Stephen M. (R, 63) · primary sponsor
- Carney, Becky (D, 102) · primary sponsor
- Cotham (R) · primary sponsor
- Ball, Cynthia (D, 49)
- Brown, Kanika (D, 71)
- Cervania, Maria (D, 41)
- Greenfield, Julia (D, 100)
- Harrison, Pricey (D, 61)
- Jackson, Frances (D, 45)
- Longest, Tim (D, 34)
- Pierce, Garland E. (D, 48)
Latest actions
- : Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- : Reptd Fav Com Substitute
- : Re-ref to the Com on Judiciary 1, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- : Withdrawn From Com
- : Serial Referral To Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Stricken
- : Serial Referral To Judiciary 2 Stricken
- : Ref to the Com on Wildlife Resources, if favorable, Judiciary 2, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- : Passed 1st Reading
- : Filed
Subjects: NAMED LAWS, ANIMAL WELFARE, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC, LOCAL ORDINANCES, ANIMALS, CRIMES
Common questions
- What is H657?
- H657 is a bill in the North Carolina Legislature (2025-2026 Session): Duke's Rescue Act.
- What does H657 do?
- In its own words: An act to provide minimal standards of care for companion animals.
- What is the status of H657?
- Introduced as of June 16, 2026. Latest action: Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (June 16, 2026).
- Who sponsored H657?
- Ross, Stephen M. (R, 63), with 10 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for H657?
- On the North Carolina Legislature website: https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H657
Source: official North Carolina record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.