10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Cumberland County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Cumberland County's Animal Control Ordinance defines livestock and bars it from running at large, but where and how many chickens or farm animals you may keep is set by the county's zoning (UDO), not the animal code. Agricultural uses are protected by NC's right-to-farm law.
Cumberland County Code Sec. 3-10 (Livestock)
"Livestock" includes, but is not limited to, equine animals, bovine animals, sheep, goats, llamas and swine.
In unincorporated Cumberland County, dogs and cats must stay confined or under physical control. Under Code Sec. 3-19, any dog or cat not confined and not under the actual physical control or restraint of its owner is 'running at large' and may be impounded.
Cumberland County Code Sec. 3-10 (Restraint); Sec. 3-19(a)
"Restraint" means that an animal is actually physically controlled by leash or tether held by a competent person or within any vehicle, trailer or other conveyance being driven, pulled or parked on the street or confined within the property limits of its owner or keeper.
Cumberland County imposes no breed-specific ban. No pit bull, Rottweiler, or other breed is prohibited by name. The county regulates dogs by behavior through its 'dangerous dog' process (Code Sec. 3-30 to 3-36), tracking North Carolina's statewide dangerous-dog law, NCGS 67-4.1.
Cumberland County Code Sec. 3-30 (Dangerous dog)
"Dangerous dog" means any of the following dogs: (1) A dog that without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person; or (2) A dog that has been determined as provided herein to be potentially dangerous; or (3) A dog that is owned or harbored primarily, or in part, for the purpose of dog fighting or a dog trained for dog fighting.
Cumberland County's Animal Control Ordinance sets no beekeeping rules; honey bees are not covered by the animal code. Backyard beekeeping is governed by your zoning (county UDO) and protected under North Carolina agricultural law, with the NC Department of Agriculture (NCDA&CS) regulating apiaries statewide.
Cumberland County flatly prohibits keeping wild or exotic animals. Under Code Sec. 3-17 it is unlawful to keep, harbor, breed, sell, or trade any wild or exotic animal, unless licensed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission as a wildlife rehabilitator.
Cumberland County Code Sec. 3-17(b)
It is unlawful to keep, harbor, breed, sell or trade any wild or exotic animal for any purpose, except as may be licensed by the state Wildlife Resources Commission under its regulations pertaining to wildlife rehabilitators.
Cumberland County has no ordinance that specifically bans feeding wildlife. But under Code Sec. 3-10, regularly feeding an animal counts as 'harboring' it, so feeding wild or exotic animals can violate the Sec. 3-17 wild-animal ban and draw nuisance enforcement.
Cumberland County Code Sec. 3-10 (Harboring)
"Harboring" means regularly feeding, sheltering or caring for an animal.
Cumberland County prohibits livestock from running at large. Under Code Sec. 3-19 it is unlawful to permit or negligently allow any domestic animal or livestock to run loose. Where and how many animals you may keep is set by county zoning (UDO), with farms protected by NC's right-to-farm law.
Cumberland County Code Sec. 3-19(a)
It is unlawful for any owner or person to permit or negligently allow any domestic animal or livestock to run at large. Any dog or cat that is not confined as provided in this Chapter, and not under the actual physical control or restraint of its owner or keeper, shall be deemed to be running at large.
Cumberland County has no ordinance using the word 'hoarding,' but its Nuisance/Reckless Owner rule (Code Sec. 3-29) lets Animal Control order a cited owner to surrender all their dogs and cats. Cruelty and neglect are prosecuted under Sec. 3-18 and NC state law (NCGS 14-360).
Cumberland County Code Sec. 3-29
A person cited as a Nuisance/Reckless owner shall be ordered to surrender all of his/her dogs/cats to Animal Control and shall refrain from owning, keeping or harboring those dogs/cats or any other animals.
Cumberland County caps dogs by zoning. Under Code Sec. 3-26, no more than three dogs over five months old may be kept on small single-family lots (R20 or less), and no more than two on multifamily-zoned premises. Stricter zoning or landlord limits control if applicable.
Cumberland County Code Sec. 3-26(a)
No more than three (3) dogs more than five (5) months of age shall be owned, possessed, kept, harbored, or maintained at any premises located in any area with a zoning classification for single-family, residential lots of 20,000 square feet or less (R20 or less).
Cumberland County requires cats, like dogs, to be rabies-vaccinated and licensed. Under Code Sec. 3-40 it is unlawful to fail to provide current rabies vaccination for any dog, cat, or ferret four months or older, and an annual privilege license is required (Sec. 3-50).
Cumberland County Code Sec. 3-40(e)
It shall be unlawful for an owner or keeper to fail to provide current vaccination against rabies (hydrophobia) for any dog, cat or ferret four (4) months of age or older.
1 cities in Cumberland County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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