Oakland, CA Animal Ordinances: Coyote Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- OMC § 6.04.355(A), (C)
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 13858, Sept. 15, 2025
- Named species
- Coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, bobcats, raccoons
- Hazing exception
- Allowed if legal under applicable laws
- Cull authority in code
- None specified in this Chapter
- Penalty class
- Infraction or misdemeanor
Summary
Oakland Municipal Code § 6.04.355(A) makes it unlawful to harass any non-captive wild animal, coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, bobcats, raccoons and more are named specifically, by disrupting its breeding, feeding, or sheltering. The code carves out a hazing exception in § 6.04.355(C) for people legally engaged in hazing wildlife under applicable law, the tool the City's coexistence-based coyote program relies on instead of culling.
Except as otherwise authorized by this Title or State law, no person shall harass, in any manner, any non-captive wild and/or undomesticated animal, including, but not limited to, coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, bobcats, raccoons, skunks, opossums, turkeys, peacocks, and other birds not kept as pets. For purposes of this Section, "harass" means an intentional act which disrupts an animal's normal behavioral patterns, which includes, but is not limited to, breeding, feeding, or sheltering. ... This Section shall not apply to persons legally engaged in hazing wild animals pursuant to applicable laws.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102 | Planning Code: Supplement 59).
Full Breakdown
355(A), enacted by Ordinance No. " "Harass" is defined as "an intentional act which disrupts an animal's normal behavioral patterns, which includes, but is not limited to, breeding, feeding, or sheltering," with a carve-out for responsible backyard bird feeding on private property. Subsection (C) then exempts "persons legally engaged in hazing wild animals pursuant to applicable laws", the provision that lets residents and City staff use noise, movement, and other non-lethal hazing techniques to keep coyotes wary of people, consistent with state Fish and Wildlife guidance, without violating the harassment ban. 355(B) separately bars feeding wild animals on public property. 420 allows violations of the Chapter to be charged as an infraction or misdemeanor.
Violations & Fines
Harassing a coyote or other listed wild animal, disrupting its breeding, feeding or sheltering without a hazing-law exemption, violates § 6.04.355(A). It may be charged as an infraction or misdemeanor under § 6.04.420 by Oakland Police, Animal Control Officers, or the Alameda County Health Officer acting under Penal Code § 836.5.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to haze a coyote in Oakland?
Does Oakland's code allow culling coyotes?
What counts as harassing wildlife under Oakland's ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oakland
California rules heatmap·Compare Oakland to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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