Mebane, NC Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Dog limit
- 3 dogs over 12 months per property
- Applies to
- Dwellings and vacant residential lots
- Adopted
- 2007, Ord. Amend. No. 07-09
- Violation type
- Misdemeanor, continuing daily offense
- Enforcement
- Animal control officers, chief of police
Summary
In the City of Mebane, North Carolina, Mebane City Code Sec. 4-73.1 caps residential properties at three dogs over 12 months old, whether the animals are kept permanently or only temporarily. The limit applies to any dwelling or vacant residential lot, and a violation is a misdemeanor under Sec. 4-72.
Any violation of this article is a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with section 1-6. For a continuing offense, each day's violation is a separate violation. ... It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of a residential property (dwelling or vacant lot) to keep more than three dogs over the age of 12 months on said premises, either permanently or temporarily.
Full Breakdown
Mebane City Code Sec. 4-73.1, added by Ordinance Amendment No. 07-09 in 2007, makes it unlawful for the owner or occupant of a residential property, whether a dwelling or a vacant lot, to keep more than three dogs over the age of 12 months on that property, either permanently or temporarily. The age threshold means puppies under 12 months do not count toward the cap, but any adult dog kept even temporarily, such as while boarding or fostering, is counted against the three-dog limit. The rule sits within Article III, Division 1 of Chapter 4, the same division that defines "keeper" as a person having custody of an animal or who keeps, harbors, feeds or shelters it for ten days or more, so a household fostering a fourth adult dog for more than a few days risks tripping the limit.
The city's animal control officers, employed by the chief of police, are responsible for enforcing this division alongside the county-run animal shelter that handles impoundment.
Violations & Fines
Mebane City Code Sec. 4-72 makes any violation of the animal control article a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with Sec. 1-6, and treats each day the fourth dog remains on the property as a separate violation; the city may also pursue an equitable remedy or nuisance abatement through the courts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs can I own in Mebane?
Do puppies count toward Mebane's dog limit?
Is exceeding the Mebane dog limit a criminal offense?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mebane
Compare Mebane to another location·View the North Carolina animal ordinances overview
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