Buncombe County, NC Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Buncombe County Code Sec. 6-57(a)(3) classifies the keeping, possession, harboring, feeding, or attracting of wild, livestock or domesticated animals as a public nuisance whenever it "creates a danger to humans, wildlife, or domestic animals, or causes damage to other properties," expressly naming the practice of attracting bears. The ordinance protects an ordinary bird feeder: maintaining one, or simply feeding birds, is not itself a violation unless the animal control officer determines the activity has become an attractant and orders it stopped. "Danger" under the section means the potential for human injury or death, an increased risk of disease transmission between animals and humans, or an increased potential for death or injury to the bears, livestock or companion animals involved.

The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office animal control division administers Chapter 6 under Sec. 6-40 and investigates nuisance-wildlife complaints before issuing a cessation order. A violation of Sec. 6-57(a)(3) is a Level III offense on the county's civil penalty fine schedule (Sec. 6-115(c)): $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second within 24 months, and $500 for a third or each additional offense. Sec. 6-116 also makes any Chapter 6 violation a Class 3 misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 and 30 days in jail.

An owner who disputes a citation has three business days to file a written appeal with the sheriff under Sec. 6-118(a), and must post a bond equal to the fine to keep the appeal valid.