Durham County Code Sec. 4-37 requires a kennel license for anyone who owns, maintains, possesses, or controls five or more animals of the same species. There is no flat pet cap below five; keeping five or more triggers a tiered kennel license and inspection.
Rather than a hard pet limit, Chapter 4 uses a kennel-license threshold. Sec. 4-37 provides that a person who owns, maintains, possesses, or controls five or more animals of the same species that are spayed/neutered may apply for a general kennel license; five or more that are not altered require a show/breeder license. Tax tiers run from $40 (5-10 altered animals) up to $1,200+ for large breeder kennels. A general kennel license requires proof of ownership, current rabies vaccination, spay/neuter, no outstanding animal-control violations, and consent to inspection of the housing area. Individual dogs and cats must also be licensed and rabies-vaccinated under Sec. 4-36 and Sec. 4-39.
Keeping five or more same-species animals without the required kennel license is enforceable under Chapter 4 with civil penalties starting at $50 under Sec. 4-9, escalating to $100 for repeat violations, plus possible seizure. Kennel licenses can be revoked for
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