Animal Ordinances in Buncombe County, NC (2026)
8 rules for unincorporated Buncombe County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Buncombe County cannot zone out bona fide farm uses, so keeping chickens, fowl, and livestock on qualifying property in the unincorporated county is broadly allowed under NCGS 160D-903. Animals must still avoid nuisance conditions and cages/pens have setback limits under the animal ordinance.
Chickens & Livestock: Farm Use Exempt from County Zoning
Some RestrictionsNCGS 160D-903(a)
County zoning and development regulations may not affect property used for bona fide farm purposes... Bona fide farm purposes include the production and activities relating or incidental to the production of crops, grains, fruits, vegetables, ornamental and flowering plants, dairy, livestock, poultry, and all other forms of agriculture.
Dog Leash Laws
In unincorporated Buncombe County, dogs and other animals must stay on the owner's premises. Off the property, an animal must be under the control of a competent person by a chain, leash, harness, or other physical control (Sec. 6-76). Loose animals may be impounded.
Buncombe County Dog Restraint / Running-at-Large Rule
Heavy RestrictionsBuncombe County Code Sec. 6-76(a)
Every person owning or having possession, charge, care, custody or control of any animal shall keep such animal exclusively upon his premises. However, such animal may be off such premises if it is under the control of a competent person and restrained by a chain, leash, harness or other means of physical control.
Breed Restrictions
Buncombe County does not ban any dog breed. Both the county code (Sec. 6-28) and NC state law (NCGS 67-4.1) define a 'dangerous dog' by behavior, not breed. A dog is dangerous only if it kills or severely injures without provocation, or is declared potentially dangerous.
No Breed Ban; Dangerous Dogs Handled by Behavior
Some RestrictionsBuncombe County Code Sec. 6-28 (Dangerous animal)
Dangerous animal. (1) An animal that: a. Without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person; b. Without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on another domestic animal; c. Is determined by the animal control officer to be a potentially dangerous animal. (2) Any animal owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of fighting.
Exotic Pets
Buncombe County Sec. 6-61 makes it unlawful to keep any venomous reptile or any other wild or exotic animal within the county. Zoos, performing-animal exhibitions, circuses, and licensed wildlife rehabilitators are exempt.
Buncombe County Bans Venomous & Dangerous Wild Animals
Heavy RestrictionsBuncombe County Code Sec. 6-61
No person, firm, or corporation shall keep, maintain, possess or have within the County any venomous reptile or any other wild or exotic animal. This section shall not be construed to apply to zoological parks, performing animal exhibitions or circuses or licensed wildlife rehabilitators.
Wildlife Feeding
Buncombe County's animal ordinance makes it a public nuisance to feed, harbor or attract bears or other wild animals if the activity threatens public health, safety or welfare. Backyard bird feeders are exempt, but an animal control officer can order the feeding stopped once it becomes a bear or wildlife attractant. Continuing after that order is a civil and criminal violation.
Feeding Bears or Wild Animals Is Banned in Buncombe County
Some RestrictionsBuncombe County Code Sec. 6-57(a)(3)
(3)The keeping, possession, harboring, feeding, or attracting of animals, being wild, livestock or domesticated, which threaten the public health, safety and welfare of the community in a manner including, but not limited to, attracting the presence of bears or wild animals that creates a danger to humans, wildlife, or domestic animals, or causes damage to other properties; provided, that nothi...
Pet Limits
Buncombe County sets no simple household pet limit, but keeping seven or more dogs or cats on one premises makes the property a 'kennel' requiring a permit (Sec. 6-28). Keeping animals in numbers that create a public nuisance is separately prohibited under Sec. 6-57.
No Fixed Pet Cap; Seven+ Dogs or Cats = Kennel
Some RestrictionsBuncombe County Code Sec. 6-28 (Kennel)
Kennel. Any premises wherein any person, partnership or corporation is engaged in the business of boarding, breeding, buying, letting for hire, training for a fee or selling dogs or cats. The keeping of seven or more dogs or cats on the same premises... shall constitute a kennel.
Cat Rules
Cats four months or older in Buncombe County must be vaccinated against rabies and wear a collar with the current rabies tag at all times (Sec. 6-56). Cats are covered by the same restraint and nuisance rules as other animals, and unvaccinated or stray cats may be impounded.
Buncombe County Cat Rules: Rabies Shots & Tags Required
Some RestrictionsBuncombe County Code Sec. 6-56(a)-(b)
It shall be unlawful for an owner or keeper to fail to provide current vaccination against rabies for any dog or cat four months of age or older... It shall be unlawful for any dog or cat owner to fail to provide the dog or cat with a collar or harness to which a current rabies tag is securely attached.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Buncombe County requires every dog or cat over six months old to be spayed or neutered unless the owner buys a $100 unaltered animal permit from the sheriff's animal control division. Exceptions cover service and police dogs, animal shelters, short-term visitors and pets a veterinarian certifies as medically unfit. Skipping both the surgery and the permit is a Level III citation.
Buncombe County Mandatory Spay/Neuter or Unaltered Permit
Some RestrictionsBuncombe County Code Sec. 6-63
No person shall own or harbor any dog or cat over the age of six months that has not been spayed or neutered unless such person holds an unaltered animal permit issued for such animal by the department of animal services, or any successor agency authorized by law to issue such a permit, except: (1)Persons who own or harbor service dogs or police work dogs;(2)Individuals who are non-residents of...
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