Animal Ordinances in Mebane, NC (2026)
6 verified animal ordinances for Mebane, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
In the City of Mebane, North Carolina, backyard hens are allowed on any lot with a single-family home regardless of zoning under Mebane City Code Sec. 4-37, capped at ten hens per acre with no roosters permitted. Larger livestock such as horses, sheep or pigs need a full acre per two animals under Sec. 4-33, at least 200 feet from a neighbor's home.
Backyard Hens and Livestock Rules in Mebane
Some RestrictionsMebane City Code §§ 4-33, 4-37
No person shall keep or allow to be kept, livestock upon premises under his control unless his lot shall contain a minimum of one acre, with no more than two beasts on one acre and that such acre shall be at least 200 feet from a neighboring domicile. ... Backyard hens are allowable, regardless of zoning, on a lot or lots in the same ownership that contains at least one single-family dwelling u...
Dog Leash Laws
In the City of Mebane, North Carolina, a dog may not run at large anywhere in the city under Mebane City Code Sec. 4-78. It must stay on a leash, cord or chain or under a responsible person's direct control at all times unless accompanied by its owner or a family member, and letting it run loose is a misdemeanor.
Mebane's Dog Leash and At-Large Law
Some RestrictionsMebane City Code §§ 4-71, 4-78
At large means leaving the property of the keeper unless under the direct control of the keeper or his agent. If the animal has no known keeper, the term "at large" shall mean wandering about on public or private property. ... It shall be unlawful to permit or suffer a dog to run at large or roam within the city limits except in the company of the owner or a member of the owner's family and upo...
Breed Restrictions
Mebane does not ban specific breeds. Under City Code § 4-76, the Mebane Police Department can declare any dog 'potentially dangerous' or 'dangerous' based on documented bites, attacks, or dogfighting rather than breed, then impose confinement, muzzle, and leash requirements. Owners get written notice and ten days to appeal to a review board before the designation stands.
Dangerous Dog Declaration Rules in Mebane, NC
Significant RestrictionsMebane City Code § 4-76
(a)Dangerous dog: A dangerous dog is a dog that:(1)Without provocation, has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person;(2)Is determined by the person or board designated by the county or municipal animal control authority, or pursuant to G.S. 130A-200 local health director, responsible for animal control to be potentially dangerous because the dog has engaged in one or more of the behaviors ...
Wildlife Feeding
In the City of Mebane, North Carolina, City Code § 28-5 makes it unlawful to feed any stock or animal of any kind on a city street or sidewalk, a broadly worded rule cross-referenced to the animal-control provisions in Chapter 4 and enforced, absent a penalty of its own, through the Code's general $500.00 civil citation in § 1-6.
Mebane Ban on Feeding Animals on Streets
Some RestrictionsMebane City Code §§ 1-6, 28-5
(a)Unless otherwise specifically provided, violation of any provision of this Code or any other city ordinance shall subject the offender to a civil penalty of $500.00 ... It shall be unlawful for any person to ... feed any stock or animal of any kind on any street or sidewalk of the city.
Pet Limits
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.
Mebane's Three-Dog Limit Per Property
Some RestrictionsMebane City Code §§ 4-72, 4-73.1
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.
Bird Protection
In the City of Mebane, North Carolina, the entire corporate area plus any city-owned or leased land outside the limits is a designated bird sanctuary under Mebane City Code Sec. 4-1. Killing a native wild bird anywhere inside that sanctuary is unlawful under Sec. 4-2, with a narrow exception for nuisance starlings and similar flocking birds.
Mebane's Citywide Bird Sanctuary
Significant RestrictionsMebane City Code §§ 1-6, 4-1, 4-2
Unless otherwise specifically provided, violation of any provision of this Code or any other city ordinance shall subject the offender to a civil penalty of $500.00 ... The area embraced within the corporate limits of the city, and all lands owned or leased by the city outside the corporate limits, is designated as a bird sanctuary. ... It shall be unlawful to trap, hunt, shoot or otherwise kil...
Looking for Alamance County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Mebane city rules.
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