Forsyth County's animal code has no general ordinance against feeding backyard wildlife, but it bars keeping or harboring wild animals (Sec. 6-54) and prohibits public-nuisance conditions (Sec. 6-9). North Carolina's Wildlife Resources Commission regulates feeding and taking of native wildlife statewide.
The county code does not set a standalone anti-feeding rule for songbirds, squirrels, or deer, but Sec. 6-54 makes it unlawful to possess, harbor, or have a wild animal, so intentionally harboring wildlife can implicate that prohibition. Feeding that attracts nuisance conditions - accumulating garbage, offensive or unsanitary conditions, or animals damaging neighboring property - is reachable under Sec. 6-9 (public nuisance). Statewide, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission regulates the feeding, baiting, and taking of native wildlife, and separate rules apply to species such as deer and bears. Residents should secure garbage, bird feeders, and pet food to avoid attracting wildlife and creating a nuisance.
Harboring a wild animal (Sec. 6-54) or maintaining a public nuisance from feeding (Sec. 6-9) is a Class 3 misdemeanor, fine up to $500 (Sec. 6-55), with the civil citation schedule. State wildlife-feeding and baiting violations are enforced separately by
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See how Forsyth County's wildlife feeding rules stack up against other locations.
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