Rep. Von Haefen files dog leash law bill in North Carolina House

A new bill filed by State Rep. Julie von Haefen seeks to impose strict liability for dog bites and create consistent leashing regulations across North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 852 on April 9 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Safe Dogs, Safe Owners.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates strict civil liability for dog bites when a dog injures a person or domestic animal while running unleashed in public and establishes uniform leashing laws across North Carolina. It revamps existing legislation by specifying that owners or persons in charge of a dog are liable for damages if the dog is at large and causes injury to livestock, fowls, domestic animals, or people. The term “at large” is defined as a dog not under reasonable, physical control, with certain exclusions, such as dogs used in law enforcement or lawful hunts. Additionally, permitting a dog over six months old to run at large at night will be classified as a Class 3 misdemeanor, incurring both criminal and civil penalties. The act is set to take effect on December 1, 2025, and applies to actions or proceedings brought or pending from that date.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Von Haefen proposed the most bills (25) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Haefen graduated from Ohio University in 1992 with a BA and again in 1995 from Case Western Reserve University with a JD.

Haefen, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2019 to represent the state’s 36th House district, replacing previous state representative Nelson Dollar.