Sampson County, NC Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Sampson County does not print a single blanket 'must be on a leash in public' statute, but § 4-1-02.N(g) regulates how a dog kept outdoors on a tether must be restrained on its owner's own property, and pairs that with a clear enforcement trigger. The tether may not be looped directly around the dog's neck; it has to run to a properly fitted collar or harness made of nylon or leather. The tether itself cannot weigh more than one-tenth of the dog's body weight, must be arranged so it will not tangle or twist, has to stay clear of obstacles that would shorten its usable length, and must let the dog reach its required shelter and water at all times.

A companion provision, § 4-1-02.N(h), requires that a dog kept in a fenced yard or run instead of on a tether get adequate space to exercise, with any enclosure or run built of chain link or similar material, fully enclosed on all four sides, tall enough to stop escape, and covered enough to give the dog shade. If a Law Enforcement Officer finds a dog tethered in violation of the standards in § 4-1-02.N(g) and the owner does not fix the problem within fourteen days after receiving a notice of violation, the officer can seize the dog and impound it at the Animal Shelter.

Separately, § 4-1-04's rabies provisions treat any dog found off its owner's property without a current Rabies tag as subject to immediate impoundment, reinforcing that dogs are expected to be under an owner's control whenever they leave home.