Understanding the New Dog Ordinances In Forsyth County

Due to an unprecedented increase in dog bites and dog attacks in Forsyth County, the Board of Commissioners has voted to amend the dog ordinance laws to curb future vicious animal attacks.

What do these amendments say and what does it mean to you?

For the dog owner: the new ordinances are written in order to label aggressive dogs and then to keep them under control. An aggressive dog is now defined as a dog that has threatened a person, bitten a person, or attacked or killed another animal. If your dog is labeled as aggressive, you must:

• Register the animal with animal control and have a photograph taken.
• Pay an annual licensing fee of $100.
• Keep your dog on a leash with a muzzle when its out of its pen.
• Buy liability insurance
• Spay or neuter the dog in question.

For the dog bite victim: these new amendments help dog bite victims in two different ways. First of all, the new dog bite laws should prevent new dog bite attacks from taking place altogether. Dangerous dogs will be found and kept under control if the laws are enforced by local police. In addition, if you are attacked by an officially aggressive dog, you know the dog owner has liability insurance that will cover the cost of your injury, damages, and recovery. It will also make proving in court that an owner was negligent with his or her aggressive dog easier if the dog had been labeled as aggressive in the past.

These new dog ordinance amendments take effect in  Bethania, Clemmons, Kernersville, High Point, King, Lewisville, Rural Hall, Tobaccoville, Walkertown, and Winston-Salem. The laws also cover the townships of Abbot's Creek, Belew's Creek, Bethania, Broadbay, Clemmonsville, Lewisville, Middle Fork, Old Richmond, Old Town, Salem Chapel, South Fork, and Vienna.