Santee, CA Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Scope
- Inside City parks and recreation areas only
- Banned acts
- Trapping, killing, wounding, maltreating wildlife
- Pet owners
- Liable if their pet harms wildlife
- Enforcement
- Community services officers and peace officers
- First fine
- $100 per violation per day
Summary
In the City of Santee, no one may trap, kill, wound, or maltreat any wild or domesticated bird, or any other animal, inside a City park or recreation area, and pet owners cannot let their animal pursue, trap, kill, or wound wildlife there either. The rule sits in the City Parks chapter of the Municipal Code, and community services officers, Sheriff's deputies acting as peace officers, and the Director of Community Services all have authority to enforce it.
§ 8.08.050. Animals. A. No person is permitted to trap, kill, wound or maltreat any wild or domesticated bird or animal in any City park or recreation area, and no person may permit any pet to pursue, trap, kill or wound any wild or domesticated bird or animal in any City park or recreation area.
Full Breakdown
Section 8.08.050.A of the Santee Municipal Code makes it unlawful for any person to trap, kill, wound, or maltreat a wild or domesticated bird or animal inside a City park or recreation area, and it separately bars anyone from letting a pet pursue, trap, kill, or wound wildlife there. The chapter defines a City park or recreation area as any parkland, playground, community center, athletic field, or other recreation facility owned by, leased by, or under the control of the City, so the ban runs only inside those City-controlled spaces rather than citywide.
Section 8.08.020.B gives the community services officer, who is a County Sheriff employee assigned to patrol City parks, plus any peace officer under Penal Code Section 830 and the Director of Community Services, authority to enforce the parks chapter and take action on violations. The same chapter separately requires dogs in a park to be leashed to six feet unless in a designated off-leash area under Section 8.08.180, and a pet owner is responsible for any injury the pet causes. Because Chapter 8.08 does not set its own fine schedule, violations fall back on the code's Title 1 general penalty and administrative citation provisions.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Section 8.08.050 is punishable as a misdemeanor under Section 1.04.050, or as an infraction at the City Attorney's discretion, with fines set by Penal Code Sections 19 or 19.8. The City can also issue an administrative citation under Section 1.08.020 starting at $100 per violation per day for a first offense within 12 months, rising to $200, $500, and $1,000 for a second, third, and fourth or later offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Santee's bird protection rule apply outside city parks?
My dog chased a duck at a Santee park pond, am I liable?
Who enforces the bird protection rule in Santee's parks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santee
California rules heatmap·Compare Santee to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Bird Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Diego County handle bird protection.