10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Forsyth County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Keeping chickens, fowl, and livestock on qualifying property in unincorporated Forsyth County is broadly allowed because NC right-to-farm law (NCGS 106-701) and Ch. 160D bar county zoning from barring bona fide farm uses. Animals must still avoid public-nuisance conditions under the animal code.
NCGS 106-701(a)
No agricultural or forestry operation or any of its appurtenances shall be or become a nuisance, private or public, by any changed conditions in or about the locality outside of the operation after the operation has been in operation for more than one year, when the operation was not a nuisance at the time the operation began.
In Forsyth County it is unlawful to let any animal, including cats, run at large (Sec. 6-13). Dogs must be leashed in any public park, except inside a legal dog park. Legally hunting dogs are excluded if not trespassing. Loose animals may be impounded.
Forsyth County Code Sec. 6-13
It shall be unlawful for any person having possession, custody, control, or ownership of an animal (including cats) to allow that animal to run at large. Hunting dogs shall be excluded provided they are legally hunting and not trespassing. Dogs must be leashed when in any public park.
Forsyth County does not ban any dog breed. North Carolina law (NCGS 67-4.1) defines a 'dangerous dog' by behavior, not breed - a dog that without provocation kills or severely injures a person, is kept for fighting, or is declared potentially dangerous after biting or menacing.
NCGS 67-4.1(a)(1)
'Dangerous dog' means a. A dog that: 1. Without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person; or 2. Is determined... to be potentially dangerous... b. Any dog owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of dog fighting, or any dog trained for dog fighting.
Forsyth County's animal code does not regulate honey bees. Keeping bees is an agricultural activity protected from county zoning as a bona fide farm use under NC right-to-farm law (NCGS 106-701) and Ch. 160D. The NC Department of Agriculture handles apiary inspection statewide.
Forsyth County Sec. 6-54 makes it unlawful for any person or business to possess, harbor, or have an inherently dangerous exotic mammal, an inherently dangerous reptile, or a wild animal. Only carnivals, circuses, pet shops, zoos, veterinarians, and permitted wildlife rehabilitators are exempt.
Forsyth County Code Sec. 6-54
It is unlawful for any person or business to possess, harbor, or have an inherently dangerous exotic mammal, an inherently dangerous reptile, or a wild animal. Exemptions include lawfully operated carnivals and circuses, lawfully operated pet shops, zoos, veterinarians, and wildlife rehabilitators with proper permits.
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.
Forsyth County Code Sec. 6-54
It is unlawful for any person or business to possess, harbor, or have an inherently dangerous exotic mammal, an inherently dangerous reptile, or a wild animal.
Keeping horses, cattle, goats, sheep, swine, and fowl on qualifying property in unincorporated Forsyth County is protected as a bona fide farm use under NC right-to-farm law (NCGS 106-701) and Ch. 160D, so county zoning cannot bar it. The animal code still bars public-nuisance conditions.
Forsyth County Code Sec. 6-7
It shall be unlawful for any person to molest, torture, torment, deprive of necessary sustenance... Animal abuse includes, but is not limited to, failing to provide adequate, structurally sound shelter for animals kept outside; with three sides, a roof, and a floor and is water and wind resistant.
Forsyth County has no ordinance using the word 'hoarding,' but Sec. 6-7 (Cruelty) bars neglect and depriving animals of necessary sustenance, and Sec. 6-9 prohibits keeping animals so as to create a public nuisance. Severe cases are prosecuted under NC criminal animal-cruelty law.
Forsyth County Code Sec. 6-7
It shall be unlawful for any person to molest, torture, torment, deprive of necessary sustenance, cruelly beat, mutilate or kill, wound, injure, poison, abandon, or subject to conditions detrimental to the health and welfare of any animal.
Forsyth County's animal code sets no flat numeric limit on how many dogs or cats you may keep. Instead, keeping animals so as to create a public nuisance is prohibited (Sec. 6-9), and every dog and cat must be licensed and rabies-vaccinated. Winston-Salem and towns may set stricter numeric limits.
Forsyth County Code Sec. 6-9
It shall be unlawful for any owner or custodian to permit his or her animal, or an animal in his or her care to create a public nuisance. Public nuisance is defined as damaging, soiling, or defiling community or neighborhood private or public property... causing unsanitary or offensive conditions.
Cats in Forsyth County must be licensed (Sec. 6-10) and rabies-vaccinated at three months or older (Sec. 6-25). Cats are covered by the running-at-large rule (Sec. 6-13) just like dogs, so owners may not let a cat roam. Cats need not wear a rabies tag, but proof of vaccination is
Forsyth County Code Sec. 6-25
It shall be unlawful for any person having possession, custody, control, or ownership of an animal to fail to provide a current rabies vaccination for any dog, cat, or ferret three (3) months of age or older. Dogs must wear a rabies tag. Cats and ferrets are not required to wear a rabies tag.
1 cities in Forsyth County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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