SIGN: Pass Duke’s Rescue Act to Protect Dogs and Cats in North Carolina

235 Signatures Collected

PETITION TARGET: North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger

A pit bull named Duke, who spent the first four years of his life chained outside in Windsor, North Carolina, was found emaciated, anemic, suffering from heartworm disease, and living in filth, according to local news. Chained nearby were several other neglected dogs and the skeletal remains of his sister, Minnie, who reportedly died of starvation.

Following the discovery of Minnie’s death, all the dogs on the property were rescued—but many dogs aren’t so lucky.

To help prevent tragic cases like this, North Carolina lawmakers introduced Duke’s Rescue Act, which would prohibit outdoor tethering of animal companions in extreme weather, establish minimum care standards for dogs and cats, and give authorities clearer direction and better tools to help animals left without the care they need.

If enacted, those who violate the law would face a Class 3 misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 2 misdemeanor for any subsequent offense. It would also provide funding for public education, so guardians responsible for dogs and cats can understand the basic care the law would require.

The suffering Duke, Minnie, and the other dogs on that property allegedly endured should never have been allowed to happen. No dog or cat should be left without food, clean water, proper shelter, or veterinary care — or left chained for years, forced to watch a companion die in front of them.

Sign our petition urging North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger to help advance Duke’s Rescue Act so North Carolina can pass clear minimum care standards for dogs and cats.