Asheville Public Safety Committee reviews animal services enforcement, quarantine and seizure procedures

At its May 28, 2026 remote meeting, the Asheville City Public Safety Committee received an update on animal welfare, enforcement and the sequence of responses to calls from Developmental Services staff.

Crystal Bern, the department's compliance coordinator, said the city's animal services unit is available seven days a week between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., staffed by three officers and one supervisor covering 16 shifts. "We receive about an average of 475 calls per month for service," Bern said, adding that the city uses North Carolina state statute as the baseline for its animal ordinances and that animal services does not provide sheltering, euthanasia or veterinary testing.

The presentation laid out the typical response sequence for calls: a primary investigation involving the victim and the animal owner, temperament determination, notification of partner agencies when necessary, and issuance of actions that range from written warnings to citations or an Order of Preventative Measures (OPM). Bern described the bite response protocol: "In any bite response, there'll be a quarantine period of 10 days and then a post-quarantine follow-up to release the dog," she said, and noted that the county health department requires quarantine and follow-ups.

Bern explained escalation steps for repeat incidents: a first minor incident often results in a warning; a severe bite can trigger an OPM and citations; a second incident may add an OPM with a declaration of "potentially dangerous," and a third incident can lead to seizure if the animal has been declared potentially dangerous or dangerous. She said an OPM may require repairs to confinement, signage, or proof of liability insurance, and failure to comply can lead to fines or impoundment. "If an OPM includes a declaration per the ordinance, animal services can seize the animal and ownership can be transferred to the Asheville Humane Society or the Buncombe County Animal Shelter," Bern said.

Bern described partnerships with the Asheville Humane Society and Buncombe County: the humane society operates the county shelter and provides quarantine space; veterinary and behavior professionals determine whether an animal can be rehomed or, as a last resort, euthanized. "Euthanasia is treated as a last resort," she said, and staff undergo training to prioritize quality-of-life and reintroduction where feasible.

Council members asked questions about wildlife and criminal referrals. On wildlife, Bern said animal services typically refers bear or other wildlife calls to state Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service or Buncombe County, but will respond to situations in which a bat is trapped in a home or a person has been bitten. She explained that state licensing governs removal of roosts or infestations in some seasons and that the city coordinates specimen testing with the county and state laboratory when necessary.

When asked about referrals to the Asheville Police Department for cruelty cases, Bern said she did not have an exact annual count but estimated it was "probably less than five so far" this year. On due process for seized animals, she said outcomes depend on the OPM and case severity: some seizures are temporary with bonds and 30-day quarantines, while long-term seizures and return of ownership depend on ordinance provisions and the facts of the incident.

Council members thanked staff for the briefing and asked them to return in a few months with ideas for how the committee can support animal services work going forward. The committee did not take formal action on ordinance changes during this presentation.