GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2015

H                                                                                                                                                    3

HOUSE BILL 460

Committee Substitute Favorable 4/29/15
Third Edition Engrossed 4/29/15

 

Short Title:        Reporting of Animal Incidents.		(Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:

April 2, 2015

 

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to provide for the reporting of injuries inflicted on humans by domestic or wild animals.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Chapter 67 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:

"Article 7.

"Reports of Animal Incidents.

"§ 67‑37.  Reports of incidents involving injuries inflicted on humans by domestic or wild animals.

(a)        A person who has suffered a bite, scratch, or other injury directly inflicted by a domestic animal not owned by the person or by a wild animal may notify the appropriate law enforcement agency that such an incident has occurred and that personal injury has resulted. If the incident occurred in a city or town, the appropriate law enforcement agency is the police department of that city or town, or, if there is no police department for that city or town, either the sheriff's department or any county police department for that county. If the attack occurred outside a city or town, the appropriate law enforcement agency is either the sheriff's department or any county police department for that county. If the incident results in the death of the person, or if that person is otherwise unable to make the request, a person who witnessed the incident may make the notification.

(b)        A law enforcement agency receiving notification under subsection (a) of this section shall investigate the incident within 48 hours of receiving the notification and may make a written report summarizing the incident and describing the injury inflicted on the person by the animal. The law enforcement officer who prepares the written report shall forward it to that officer's law enforcement agency. A report made pursuant to this subsection may be used in any manner as evidence, or for any other purpose, in any civil or criminal trial, as permitted under the rules of evidence. Any report of a domestic or wild mammal bite received by a law enforcement agency shall be immediately forwarded to the Local Health Director for appropriate rabies control measures in accordance with Chapter 130A of the General Statutes."

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2015, and applies to incidents occurring on or after that date.