Watsonville, CA Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)

Section 6-1.508 of the Watsonville Municipal Code forbids any person to place, leave or expose any poisonous substance, or any edible or other substance treated or prepared with poison, in a place accessible to birds, fowl, dogs, cats or any domestic animal, with the intent to kill or harm them. The rule turns on intent: it reaches a person who sets out the substance meaning to kill or harm the birds or animals. Section 6-1.102 defines "animal" to include any poultry or bird, domestic or wild, so the neglect and care rules of Chapter 1 reach birds as well. Under § 6-1.506, the Director of Animal Control and the City police must enter a building or premises and take possession of animals kept without food, water or proper care and attention.

At the airport, § 7-18.111(b) makes it unlawful for any person to hunt, pursue, trap, catch, injure or kill any bird or animal on the airport without authorization of the Airport Manager. The one printed exception is pest control extermination in furtherance of maintaining sanitation within leased or permitted facilities. Subsection (a) of the same section requires a dog or other domestic animal entering the airport to be kept restrained by a leash or confined so as to be completely under control.

Birds kept at home face conditions too. Section 6-1.510 allows chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons and other fowl in the City only if they are never permitted to run at large and stay at all times in a suitable house or coop with an enclosed runway. The house or coop and runway must be kept clean and sanitary, cleaned once a week at minimum, free from offensive odors, and well limewashed or painted once each year. No part of the house, coop or runway can sit less than twenty-five (25) feet from any dwelling or place of business without the written consent of the occupant.