GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1079

Short Title:  Reduce Animal Control Costs.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Stamey, Colton; Bowie, Crawford, Easterling, Hall, Luebke, and McLawhorn.
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Referred to:  Finance.
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April 19, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REDUCE THE COSTS OF ANIMAL CONTROL BY REQUIRING CITIES AND COUNTIES TO CHARGE A LOWER ANIMAL TAX ON DOGS THAT HAVE BEEN SPAYED OR NEUTERED, BY PROVIDING FOR LOCAL CLINICS FOR THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF ANIMALS, AND BY ESTABLISHING A PET FUND WITHIN THE ANIMAL WELFARE SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THOSE CLINICS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 153A-153 reads as rewritten:
"§ 153A-153. Animal tax.
(a)	A county may levy an annual license tax on the privilege of keeping dogs and other pets within the county.  However, on and after January 1, 1995, any annual license tax on the privilege of keeping a dog that has not been spayed or neutered shall be at least four times the annual license tax on the privilege of keeping a dog that has been spayed or neutered.
(b)	At least one-third of the proceeds from the annual license tax on the privilege of keeping a dog, as authorized in subsection (a) of this section, shall be expended in one or more of the following ways:
(1)	Operation of a spaying and neutering clinic open to residents of the county in which the license tax is collected;
(2)	Operation of a voucher program through which the animal control office of the county issues vouchers entitling recipients to reduced rates for the spaying or neutering of animals by licensed veterinarians participating in such a program; or
(3)	Transmittal of the funds to the Animal Welfare Section of the Department of Agriculture for deposit in the Pet Fund administered by the Section.
Veterinarians volunteering to participate in a voucher system established pursuant to subdivision (b)(2) of this section shall receive no more than eighty percent (80%) of the average fee charged by veterinarians in that county for spaying and neutering, as determined by the Animal Welfare Section for each spaying or neutering performed."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 160A-212 reads as rewritten:
"§ 160A-212. Animal taxes.
(a)	A city shall have power to levy an annual license tax on the privilege of keeping any domestic animal, including dogs and cats, within the city. However, on and after January 1, 1995, any annual license tax on the privilege of keeping a dog that has not been spayed or neutered shall be at least four times the annual license tax on the privilege of keeping a dog that has been spayed or neutered. This section shall not limit the city's authority to enact ordinances under G.S. 160A-186.
(b)	At least one-third of the proceeds from the annual license tax on the privilege of keeping a dog, as authorized in subsection (a) of this section, shall be expended in one or more of the following ways:
(1)	Operation of a spaying and neutering clinic open to residents of the city in which the license tax is collected or to residents of any county in which that city is located;
(2)	Operation of a voucher program through which the animal control office of the city issues vouchers entitling recipients to reduced rates for the spaying or neutering of animals by licensed veterinarians participating in such a program; or
(3)	Transmittal of the funds to the Animal Welfare Section of the Department of Agriculture for deposit in the Pet Fund administered by the Section.
Veterinarians volunteering to participate in a voucher system established pursuant to subdivision (b)(2) of this section shall receive no more than eighty percent (80%) of the average fee charged by veterinarians in the county in which the license tax is collected is located for spaying and neutering, as determined by the Animal Welfare Section for each spaying or neutering performed."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 19A-22 reads as rewritten:
"§ 19A-22. Animal Welfare Section in Animal Health Division of Department of Agriculture created; Director; Pet Fund established.
(a)	There is hereby created within the Animal Health Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, a new section thereof, to be known as the Animal Welfare Section of said division.
The Commissioner of Agriculture is hereby authorized to appoint a Director of said section whose duties and authority shall be determined by the Commissioner subject to the approval of the Board of Agriculture and subject to the provisions of this Article.
(b)	There is established within the Department of Agriculture, Animal Health Division, Animal Welfare Section, a Pet Fund to provide assistance to cities and counties in maintaining spaying and neutering clinics.  Monies from the Pet Fund shall be distributed to cities and counties to fund the spaying and neutering clinics established pursuant to G.S. 153A-153(b) and G.S. 160A-212(b) based upon need as demonstrated to the pet officer appointed in subsection (c) of this section.
(c)	The Animal Welfare Section may appoint a pet officer whose responsibilities shall include distribution of funds to city and county spaying and neutering clinics established pursuant to G.S. 153A-153(b) and G.S. 160A-212(b), the design and issuance of spaying and neutering vouchers for use by those clinics, maintenance of records for the clinics, and the provision of advisory assistance to the clinics.  The pet officer shall provide an annual report to the General Assembly on the activities of the local spaying and neutering clinics."
Sec. 4.  G.S. 130A-188 reads as rewritten:
"§ 130A-188. Fee for vaccination at county rabies vaccination clinics.
The county board of commissioners is authorized to establish a fee to be charged at the county rabies vaccination clinics. The fee shall include an administrative charge not to exceed four dollars and forty cents ($4.40) per vaccination, and a charge for the actual cost of the vaccine, the vaccination certificate, and the rabies vaccination tag. Forty cents (40¢) from each administrative charge shall be transmitted to the Pet Fund administered by the Animal Welfare Section of the Department of Agriculture."
Sec. 5.  This act becomes effective January 1, 1994.