Rose Hill, NC Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

05(Q) of the Rose Hill animal control chapter defines 'immediate control' for every animal owner in town. On the owner's own property, the animal must be restrained inside a fence built to contain it, an electronic fence sufficient to restrain it, kept in the owner's presence, or held by some other town-approved restraint. The moment the animal leaves that property to be walked or exercised, it must be on a leash attached to a collar or harness strong enough to keep it from breaking loose; a fenced yard on someone else's property does not substitute for a leash off-premises.

05(P)(1)(d). 05(O) goes further than most leash laws by treating tethering itself, chaining or otherwise fastening an animal to a stationary object, as a form of cruelty and banning it outright, so a chained dog in a yard does not satisfy the restraint requirement even though it is confined. § 14-4 and separately authorizes a civil citation with a minimum $75 penalty (or $50 for a licensing violation) issued by the Animal Control Supervisor or designee, in addition to whatever criminal penalty a court imposes.