Stafford Township, NJ Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)

Section 151-11 sits in Chapter 151 (Parks) and applies in every Township park. Chapter 151 defines a park as any public park, beach or recreation or playground area, or building or facility on it, owned and maintained by the Township of Stafford, whether or not the area has been formally dedicated to that purpose. Inside those areas, subsection A bars anyone from willfully capturing, attempting to capture, hunting, molesting, injuring or trapping a bird, from setting out bait or a harmful substance for one, and from removing or possessing the young, eggs or nest of any animal, reptile or bird. Subsection B separately bars willfully giving or offering a bird tobacco, alcohol or another potentially harmful substance. The lead-in sentence covers both subsections: each act is lawful only after the Township has issued a permit. The text names a 'wild or domestic animal, reptile or bird', so domestic birds are protected along with wild ones.

Feeding is handled in the Animals chapter. Section 60-26B says no person shall feed wildlife in any public park or on any other property owned or operated by the Township, and section 60-26D gives enforcement to the Police Department, any Animal Control Officer or the Code Enforcement Officer, who order a violator to stop feeding immediately. On private land, songbird feeding is permitted under section 60-26E only if droppings do not build up where neighbors can see or smell them, the property does not attract rodents or other wild animals, every feeder hangs at least five feet above the ground, and each feeder holds no more than five pounds of seed.

Inside parks, enforcement belongs to Police Department officers and to park guards, who are Township employees working under the Director of the Department of Recreation.