North Carolina Administrative Code › Title 02 - AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES › Chapter 52 - VETERINARY › Subchapter J - ANIMAL WELFARE SECTION › Section .0200 - FACILITIES AND OPERATING STANDARDS › Section 52J .0209 - CLASSIFICATION AND SEPARATION

Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 2, July 15, 2024
Animals housed in the same primary enclosure or confined to
					 an exercise area shall be maintained in compatible groups, with the following
					 additional restrictions:
(1) Females
				  in season (estrus) shall not be housed in the same primary enclosure or
				  exercise area with intact or neutered males, except for planned breeding
				  purposes. Breeding shall not be allowed in animal shelters.
(2) In boarding kennels, animals of different
				  owners shall not have contact with other animals, unless written permission is
				  obtained from the animal's owner. The documentation of this written permission
				  shall be kept as part of the animal's record for one year and must be renewed
				  yearly thereafter.
(3) Any dog or
				  cat exhibiting an aggressive disposition shall be housed individually in a
				  primary enclosure. Housing of aggressive animals shall be such that the animals
				  are prevented from biting or injuring another animal or human.
(4) Puppies or kittens less than six months
				  of age shall not be housed in the same primary enclosure with adult dogs or
				  cats other than their dams, except when permanently maintained in breeding
				  colonies, or if requested in writing, by the animals' owner, as in a boarding
				  kennel. Puppies or kittens between four and 16 weeks of age shall have daily
				  access to human social interaction in addition to the human interaction during
				  the cleaning and sanitation of the enclosures, excluding animals which pose a
				  danger to humans or other animals.
(5) Dogs shall not be housed in the same
				  primary enclosure or exercise areas with cats, nor shall dogs or cats be housed
				  in the same primary enclosure or exercise areas with any other species of
				  animals. Exceptions are allowed at boarding kennels, if requested in writing by
				  the animals' owner.
(6) All
				  facilities shall designate an isolation area for animals being treated or
				  observed for communicable diseases. Dogs or cats in isolation that are being
				  treated for a communicable disease shall be separated from other dogs or cats
				  and other susceptible species of animals in such a manner as to minimize
				  dissemination of such disease. A sign shall be posted at the cage or isolation
				  area when in use, giving notice of a communicable disease, including the
				  identification of the disease. Accessories, cleaning equipment and supplies
				  used in isolation areas shall not be used in other areas of the
				  facility.
(7) Animals in long term
				  care must be provided with human interaction other than interaction for
				  enclosure cleaning, same species social interaction, opportunity for play and
				  exercise, and environmental enrichment daily. The provision of these daily
				  interactions and enrichment shall be adequate for the animal's species, age,
				  size and behavior needs. In addition:
(a) The
				  provision of the daily social interactions and enrichment shall be documented
				  in the animal's records and the records maintained for three years;
				  and
(b) Exemptions from these
				  long-term care provisions are allowed only for safety or health reasons and
				  must be approved by a veterinarian. This exemption must be reviewed and renewed
				  every 30 days if the continuation is necessary. Documentation of the exemption
				  must include the reason for the exemption, the name and contact information of
				  the veterinarian authorizing the exemption, the original exemption date and the
				  dates of review and renewal and alternative(s) offered if any.