North Carolina § 14-362 - 2. Dog fighting and baiting.

§ 14-362. 2. Dog fighting and baiting.

A person who instigates, promotes, conducts, is employed at, provides a dog for, allows property under the person's ownership or control to be used for, gambles on, or profits from an exhibition featuring the baiting of a dog or the fighting of a dog with another dog or with another animal is guilty of a Class H felony. A lease of property that is used or is intended to be used for an exhibition featuring the baiting of a dog or the fighting of a dog with another dog or with another animal is void, and a lessor who knows this use is made or is intended to be made of the lessor's property is under a duty to evict the lessee immediately. A person who owns, possesses, or trains a dog with the intent that the dog be used in an exhibition featuring the baiting of that dog or the fighting of that dog with another dog or with another animal is guilty of a Class H felony. A person who participates as a spectator at an exhibition featuring the baiting of a dog or the fighting of a dog with another dog or with another animal is guilty of a Class H felony. This section does not prohibit the use of dogs in the lawful taking of animals under the jurisdiction and regulation of the Wildlife Resources Commission. This section does not prohibit the use of dogs in earthdog trials that are sanctioned or sponsored by entities approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture that meet standards that protect the health and safety of the dogs. Quarry at an earthdog trial shall at all times be kept separate from the dogs by a sturdy barrier, such as a cage, and have access to food and water. This section does not apply to the use of herding dogs engaged in the working of domesticated livestock for agricultural, entertainment, or sporting purposes. History (1997-78, s. 1; 2006-113, s. 3.1; 2006-259, s. 37; 2007-180, s. 1; 2007-181, s. 1.) Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2006-113, s. 3.1, as amended by Session Laws 2006-259, s. 37, effective December 1, 2006, and applicable to offenses committed on or after that date, throughout the section, deleted the language "fighting or" preceding "baiting" and added the language "or the fighting of a dog with another dog or with another animal"; in subsection (a) substituted "the person's" for "his" in the first sentence and "the lessor's" for "his" in the second sentence; and added subsection (d). Session Laws 2007-180, s. 1, effective December 1, 2007, and applicable to offenses committed on or after that date, added subsection (e). Session Laws 2007-181, s. 1, effective July 5, 2007, added subsection (f). Legal Periodicals. - For 1997 legislative survey, see 20 Campbell L. Rev. 417.