Animal Ordinances in Durham County, NC (2026)
8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Durham County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Durham County Code Sec. 4-13 defines livestock as equine, bovine, sheep, goats, llamas, and swine per NCGS Ch. 68. The animal ordinance sets no head limit; where livestock may be kept is a zoning question under the joint City-County UDO, with NCGS 106-701 right-to-farm protection.
Durham County Livestock: Defined by Code, Zoned by UDO
Some RestrictionsDurham County Code Sec. 4-13
Livestock shall include, but shall not be limited to, equine animals, bovine animals, sheep, goats, llamas, and swine as set forth in G.S. ch. 68, art. 3. Microchip refers to a tiny permanent identification system, implanted under the animal's skin and read by a chip scanner which identifies the owners name and address which is available on regional or national data bases. Implantation is do...
Dog Leash Laws
Durham County Code Sec. 4-86 makes it unlawful to intentionally or negligently allow a dog to run at large. Off the owner's property a dog must be under restraint (secure enclosure, attended leash, or electronic device); voice command is not adequate restraint.
Durham County Dog Leash Law: No Dogs at Large (Sec. 4-86)
Heavy RestrictionsDurham County Code Sec. 4-86
It shall be unlawful for any person owning, keeping, possessing or maintaining a dog in this county to intentionally or negligently allow the dog to run at large.
Breed Restrictions
Durham County imposes no breed-specific ban. It controls dangerous dogs by behavior under Chapter 4, Article VIII and NCGS 67-4.1, which authorizes local dangerous-dog programs. NCGS 67-4.5 lets a county run its own program but Durham's is conduct-based, not breed-based.
Durham County Has No Dog Breed Ban (Behavior-Based Control)
Few RestrictionsNCGS 67-4.5
Nothing in this Article shall be construed to prevent a city or county from adopting or enforcing its own program for control of dangerous dogs.
Exotic Pets
Durham County Code Article XI requires a permit for keeping an exotic animal. Sec. 4-302 bars keeping an exotic animal more than five days without first obtaining and maintaining all federal, state, and county animal-control permits. Inherently dangerous animals are separately restricted under Article XII.
Durham County Exotic Animals Require a Permit (Sec. 4-302)
Heavy RestrictionsDurham County Code Sec. 4-302(1)
No owner may keep an exotic animal within the territorial boundaries of the county for more than five days without first obtaining and then maintaining all permits required by the federal government, the state and the county animal control department.
Pet Limits
Durham County Code Sec. 4-37 requires a kennel license for anyone who owns, maintains, possesses, or controls five or more animals of the same species. There is no flat pet cap below five; keeping five or more triggers a tiered kennel license and inspection.
Durham County: Five or More Same-Species Animals Need a Kennel License
Some RestrictionsDurham County Code Sec. 4-37(a)(1)
Any person who owns, maintains, possesses or controls five or more animals of the same species that have been spayed or neutered may apply for a general kennel license.
Cat Rules
Durham County's animal ordinance applies to cats: they must be rabies-vaccinated (Sec. 4-39) and, like all animals, are 'at large' when off the owner's property and unrestrained (Sec. 4-13). Feral cats are defined in Chapter 4, and five or more cats trigger the kennel license.
Durham County Cat Rules: Rabies, At-Large, and Feral Cats
Some RestrictionsDurham County Code Sec. 4-13
Feral cat means a domestic cat which has adapted to survive in the wild, is homeless and ownerless, and having descended from stray and possible generations of abandoned house pets.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Durham County has no general law forcing every dog or cat owner to spay or neuter their pet, but its trap-neuter-vaccinate-release program does. Section 4-112(c) requires any community cat caregiver working under the county's TNVR program to have each cat assessed, spayed or neutered, vaccinated and ear-tipped before release.
Durham County Community Cat Spay/Neuter Mandate
Some RestrictionsDurham County Code § 4-112(c)
(c)Responsibilities of the community cat caregiver:(1)Cats must be trapped using humane trapping techniques;(2)Cats must be assessed by a veterinarian and deemed healthy at the time of spay/neuter surgery;(3)Cats must be scanned for a microchip indicating if they have an owner, and for cats without a tag or microchip, the person bringing them in must verify that the cats are unowned and residin...
Pet Store Rules
Durham County does not ban pet shops from selling dogs or cats; it licenses and regulates them instead. Section 8-104 requires every pet shop to hold an animal control department permit, and Sec. 8-106 bars selling sick, diseased or under-six-week-old dogs and cats rather than banning retail sale outright.
Durham County Pet Shop Sale Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsDurham County Code § 8-106
All pet shop owners or operators shall comply with the following subsections:(1)Sale or trade of sick or diseased animals. It shall be a violation of this article for a pet shop owner or operator to sell or trade an animal which has shown physical signs of infection or communicable disease unless the animal has received veterinary care and a good-health certificate from a licensed North Carolin...
Animal Ordinances by City in Durham County
1 cities in Durham County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Durham County ordinances
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