Throughout the recent snowstorms on the East Coast particularly in North Carolina, I have seen hundreds of dogs left outside or abandoned. Now, with summer approaching, extreme heat will ensure the same outcomes. Animal Control and Police are unable to help these animals, or even hold their owners accountable, because in NC, this abuse is LEGAL. 

There is no excuse or argument for North Carolinians or Senate Committee members to accept such needless cruelty and neglect. In 2024 there were 20,000 dogs and cats euthanized in NC, plus the hundreds killed in cruelty cases.

Currently, the NC S573 Reform Animal Cruelty and Neglect Laws bill is sitting in committee, waiting for action. This bill has the power to transform the way animals are treated in North Carolina by tightening the laws around cruelty and neglect. Yet, without the commitment from our Senate to pass this crucial legislation, countless more animals will continue to suffer without protection.

Here are just a FEW examples of the large numbers of animals continuously being abused: 

• Davidson County: A couple was convicted in 2025 after more than 100 dogs were discovered in 2024.
• Nash County: Multiple felony cases occurred in 2025, including a woman charged with 35 counts of animal cruelty by starvation.
• Columbus County: Nearly 100 animals were seized in July 2025. 

North Carolina has been repeatedly ranked poorly in terms of animal welfare regulations. According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, our state falls in the weakest categories of animal protection laws, trailing behind many others in our nation. With the highest numbers for euthanization and abuse. This has gone on for too long and is unacceptable. We can, and must, do better.

We urge the Rules and Operations of the Senate in North Carolina to prioritize and push forward the passage of NC S573. It’s time to put words into action and show that North Carolina values the lives and well-being of its animals.

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Legislative Addendum: Emergency Shelter Crisis Action- 

In addition to the passage of SB 573, we respectfully urge North Carolina legislators to recognize and respond to the immediate animal shelter capacity crisis occurring statewide.

Animal shelters across North Carolina are consistently operating at or above capacity, with recent high-intake cases—such as large-scale hoarding situations in major municipalities—further overwhelming already strained systems.

As a result, shelters are increasingly forced to resort to euthanasia due to space limitations.

This constitutes an active public and animal welfare EMERGENCY requiring immediate state-level intervention.

 We therefore request the following emergency actions be implemented alongside SB 573:

• Formal declaration of a Statewide Animal Shelter Capacity Emergency
• Temporary restrictions on breeding and retail pet sales to reduce intake volume
• Allocation of emergency state resources to overcapacity shelters, including transport, foster support, and inter-county coordination
• Implementation of enhanced reporting and transparency requirements during the emergency period

*For example: News Outlets like WBTV, and WCCB are covering the current situation at

Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control Shelter. Here’s what reps are saying:

They’re calling it a “dire situation.”

They say 114 dogs have come into the shelter in the last 10 days. That’s almost two dozen more than what they would typically see in that time period.

These high numbers are alarming because they haven’t even gotten into their busy season yet.

“Typically, animal shelters across the country are much bigger in the summer, and we’re already starting to feel that push a little bit, and we haven’t even really gotten into kitten season yet,” Char-Meck Animal Care & Control’s Melissa Knicely said. “Right now, we’re focusing on the dog numbers. That’s where we’re really low in kennels and what we would call a red alert.”

As of Tuesday night, there are only 10 open kennels in total for both locations.

“If we’re in a red category that means that we don’t have many dog kennels available. Then we have yellow and green like a stop light,” said Melissa Knicely, Communications and Outreach Manager for the shelter. 

“Since we implemented this about a month and a half ago, we’ve not had a green kennel day for dogs.”

-News Articles of Charlotte crisis:

WBTV Article​

WCCB Article​

WBTV Article

While SB 573 provides necessary long-term reform, these immediate measures are critical to prevent further unnecessary loss of life and to stabilize shelter systems across the state.

Please join NCAP in this fight against animal cruelty and neglect. By signing this petition, you are standing up for the voiceless and helping us turn the tide on animal welfare in North Carolina. Together, we can make a significant impact and bring about lasting change. 

Thank you so much for your donations of over $300 to increase our petition signatures!

❗ *PLEASE NOTE: These donations go to Change.org – not to us. 

If you’d like to donate directly to NCAP, please do so at: 

www.gofundme.com/NCanimalprotection