Catawba County, NC Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Sec. 6-131 gives the director of emergency services authority to determine whether a dog is dangerous or potentially dangerous; once declared, animal services impounds the dog immediately and notifies the owner in writing of the reason, with a right to appeal under Sec. 6-132. Dangerous dogs split into two levels. A level 1 dog killed a person, inflicted severe injury off the owner's property, or repeated a prior level 2 or potentially-dangerous designation with a bite or attack; the director must order it humanely euthanized.

A level 2 dog inflicted severe injury on the owner's property, was kept for dog fighting, or repeated a lesser prior offense; its owner must confine it under Sec. 6-133(a)-(b). A dog is potentially dangerous if, off the owner's property, it killed or severely injured a domestic animal, approached a person in an apparent attack posture, or delivered an unprovoked bite to a human. Confinement for a level 2 dangerous dog requires a welded chain-link secure enclosure at least 15 by six by six feet on a two-inch concrete pad, inspected and approved by the director, plus $100,000 in liability insurance and microchip identification, all at the owner's expense within 21 calendar days.

A potentially dangerous dog's owner must keep it under restraint at all times and leashed and muzzled off the property. The designation can be removed after 36 months with no incidents and passage of an AKC Canine Good Citizen test under Sec. 6-136.