High Point, NC Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Covers
- any animal or fowl, not just dogs
- Non-dog pets
- pen/coop/enclosure required at all times
- Enforcement
- police may impound loose animals
- Civil penalty
- $50 fixed
Summary
High Point bars any animal, not just dogs, from running at large, and separately requires owners of non-dog animals, including cats, to keep them in a substantial pen, coop, or enclosure at all times.
It shall be unlawful for any person owning or controlling any animal or fowl, including dogs, to allow the same to run at large in the city; and it shall be the duty of the police department to take up and deliver to the place designated by the director of police services or his designated agent, any such animal or fowl found running at large. Each person owning or controlling an animal or fowl (except dogs) shall keep the animal or fowl in a substantial pen, coop or enclosure at all times.(b)The phrase "at large" shall mean, in connection with this article, a dog that is not in an enclosure or otherwise confined, or is not under the control of the owner or other person by means of a leash, cord or chain. (Code 1958, § 4-1)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 9 | Development Ordinance: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
Section 12-2-1 prohibits owners from allowing 'any animal or fowl, including dogs' to run at large in the city. A second clause in the same section goes further for non-dog pets: each person owning or controlling an animal or fowl 'except dogs' must keep it in a substantial pen, coop, or enclosure at all times, a standard that, read literally, reaches free-roaming cats, not just farm animals or fowl. Police may take up any loose animal found at large.
Violations & Fines
Violations of this chapter carry a $50 fixed civil penalty; unpaid penalties become delinquent after 10 days and can be pursued as a civil debt action by the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does High Point's at-large law apply to cats?
What's the fine for a loose animal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in High Point
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle cat rules.