Arvada, CO Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Section 14-128, Feeding wildlife prohibited, bars anyone from feeding, providing food to, or assisting another person in feeding wildlife or any wild animal in, from, or upon any park or golf course in the city. The prohibition covers the act of feeding itself, not just leaving food out, so handing food directly to deer, geese, or other wild animals on parkland is squarely covered, as is helping someone else do it.

The section carries one narrow exception: bird feeders may be placed on a park or golf course, but only with the prior written approval of the manager of parks for the city, or, where the parcel falls under that district instead, the North Jeffco Metropolitan Park and Recreation District. Without that written sign-off, even a bird feeder violates section 14-128 the same as feeding deer or geese by hand. The rule dates to Ordinance No. 4110, adopted April 21, 2008, and sits in Article V, Health and Sanitation Requirements, of Chapter 14, distinct from the separate prohibition on owning wild animals such as foxes, coyotes, and raccoons under section 14-91. Chapter 14's general enforcement structure applies: animal management officers, designated peace officers under section 14-153, can issue a summons directly to anyone observed feeding wildlife on city parkland or a municipal golf course.