We all love our four legged friends, but we kindly ask that you leave them safely at home during the Matthews Alive festivities. The city of Matthews, NC has an ordinance against allowing pets within the event area. PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY. Note: Service animals are always welcome.
Matthews Alive No Pet Policy Details
No, no pets of any kind are allowed, per Matthews Town Ordinance 91A-31 (links to Matthews Town Ordinance on Animals).
Portion of Town Ordinance referencing Animals at Town Sponsored Events, including Matthews Alive:
§ 91A-31. ANIMALS PROHIBITED AT TOWN-SPONSORED EVENTS
(A) Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having possession, charge, custody or control of any
animal, as defined in § 91A-3, to take that animal, or allow that animal to enter, whether on a leash or not on a
leash, the boundaries of any Town- sponsored public event unless such event is specifically designated as exempt
from this section due to the event’s nature by the Chief of Police. The boundaries and the interior of a Townsponsored
public event shall consist of any area that is part of the event and shall include any public park, street,
sidewalk or other publicly owned area within that area.
It shall be unlawful for any person with an animal within the boundaries of those events to fail to obey the
command of a law enforcement officer or of an Animal Control Officer, to remove such animal from the event.
(B) Exception: This section does not apply to trained guided dogs. This section shall not apply to those animals
that are part of an authorized event exhibit. The Chief of Police, shall have the authority to specify the conditions,
whether for the protection of the public or the well-being of the animals, for allowance of such animals at Townsponsored
events