Cumberland County, NC Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- Notice deadline
- 1 business day after taking a stray in
- Governing section
- Code Sec. 3-14(b)
- Enforcing agency
- Cumberland County Animal Services Department
- Maximum fine
- $50.00 per day (Sec. 1-11)
- Maximum jail term
- 30 days per violation
- Appeal body
- Animal Services Board (Sec. 3-4(c)(2))
- Unclaimed stray becomes finder's
- after 10 business days (Sec. 3-14(c))
Summary
Cumberland County makes it unlawful to knowingly and intentionally harbor, feed, or keep any stray animal that isn't yours unless you notify the Animal Services Department within one business day of taking it in. The code defines harboring broadly as regularly feeding, sheltering, or caring for an animal, so an ongoing feeding routine without that notice is itself a violation of Chapter 3.
Sec. 3-10 - Definitions: "Harboring means regularly feeding, sheltering, or caring for an animal." Sec. 3-14(b): "No person shall knowingly and intentionally harbor, feed or keep in possession by confinement or otherwise any stray animal which does not belong to him, unless he shall have within one business day from the time such animal came into his possession notified the animal services department."
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 8).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 3-14(b) of the Cumberland County Code states that no person shall knowingly and intentionally harbor, feed or keep in possession by confinement or otherwise any stray animal which does not belong to him, unless he shall have within one business day from the time such animal came into his possession notified the animal services department. The chapter's definitions section, Sec. 3-10, defines "Harboring" as regularly feeding, sheltering, or caring for an animal, so a resident who sets out food for a stray cat or dog on a recurring basis is harboring it under county law once a pattern is established, not only once ownership is claimed.
The one-business-day notification clock starts when the animal came into the person's possession, which reaches taking physical custody or regular feeding at a fixed location. Reporting goes to the Animal Services Department, the agency the board of commissioners created under Sec. 3-3 to enforce this chapter and operate the county shelter. A companion provision, Sec. 3-14(c), rewards timely reporting: any stray reported to Animal Services becomes the legal property of the finder if no verified owner reclaims it within ten business days.
Because Chapter 3 sets no stand-alone penalty for a Sec. 3-14 violation, the Code's general penalty in Sec. 1-11 applies: a fine of not more than $50.00 or imprisonment of not more than 30 days, with each day the unreported harboring continues charged as a separate offense. A resident cited under this section may appeal to the Cumberland County Animal Services Board, which Sec. 3-4(c)(2) empowers to hear any appeals provided for in the chapter other than appeals of the director's dangerous-dog determinations.
Violations & Fines
Violating Sec. 3-14(b) is punishable under the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-11: a fine up to $50.00, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with every day the unreported feeding or sheltering continues counted as a separate offense. Animal Services officers may also impound an unclaimed stray under Sec. 3-18 and bill the harborer for boarding costs before the animal can be released or adopted out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to report a stray cat I've been feeding in Cumberland County?
What counts as 'harboring' under county law?
What happens if I never notify Animal Services?
If I report a stray, can I keep it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cumberland County
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