Granville County, NC Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Granville County Code Section 11-46 governs community cats, defined elsewhere in Chapter 11 as un-owned cats that have been altered, vaccinated against rabies, feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia, and ear-tipped, and that live outdoors under community care. Organizations or individuals running Trap-Neuter-Return efforts are encouraged to register through a sponsoring organization, and county animal control recognizes one community cat-sponsoring organization to be the single point of contact for TNR coordination, at-large cat calls and community-cat complaints. That organization must publish public information on TNR and feral cats and try to notify the appropriate caregiver whenever animal control impounds an ear-tipped cat.

Caregivers carry specific duties under subsection (c): cats must be trapped using humane techniques, examined and certified healthy by a veterinarian before spay or neuter surgery, actually spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies and FVRCP, and ear-tipped, and any cat bite must be reported to county animal control. When animal control impounds a community cat, it must make a reasonable effort to notify the caregiver or sponsoring organization, post an impoundment identification number and release date on the cage for at least three business days, and keep the animal's intake details available by that number.

The caregiver or sponsoring organization may redeem the cat within 72 hours, or three business days, of notice by meeting the section's requirements and paying any veterinarian, boarding or capture cost the board of commissioners has approved, but no caregiver may adopt his or her own impounded cat under this program.