Join PETA’s Rescued Pups on the Halifax Mall as They Push for Duke’s Rescue Act

For Immediate Release:
June 1, 2026

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

The Halifax Mall will be packed with paws-itivity on Thursday when PETA and rescued dogs host a special General Assembly event to support House Bill 657—also known as Duke’s Rescue Act. The bipartisan bill would require adequate shelter, space, food, water, and care for dogs kept outside, and would prohibit tethering dogs outdoors during certain weather extremes. The event will give legislators the chance to cozy up to their canine constituents—who have been rescued from abuse and neglect by PETA’s fieldworkers—and discuss the lifesaving bill, all while enjoying coffee and delicious vegan snacks.

Where:           Halifax Mall, 300 N Salisbury St., Raleigh (in between the General Assembly building and office)

When:            Thursday, June 4, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Duke before and after his rescue. Credit: PETA

“No dog should ever have to suffer like Duke did, trapped at the end of a chain in sweltering summers and freezing temperatures, denied even the most basic comforts and necessities,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA looks forward to introducing legislators to our rescued pups and working together to explore ways to help North Carolina’s dogs.”     

Duke’s Rescue Act was named in honor of Duke, a North Carolina dog who spent the first four years of his life chained continuously during the hottest summer days and coldest winter nights—deprived of food, water, and affection alongside five other similarly neglected dogs. Only after one of the chained dogs starved to death and PETA sued to gain custody of the remaining dogs was Duke finally given the chance to experience a real life with a loving family.

PETA—whose motto reads in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.