Bloomington, IN Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

40 by Ordinance No. 23-16 in 2023, prohibits intentionally feeding deer or making food available for deer consumption anywhere within the corporate boundaries of the City of Bloomington. The ordinance does not wait for proof of intent: subsection (b) presumes a person intentionally fed deer if they place food, or cause food to be placed, on the ground outdoors or on any outdoor platform standing fewer than five feet above the ground. Food is defined broadly in subsection (c) to include corn, fruit, oats, hay, nuts, wheat, alfalfa, salt blocks, grain, vegetables, and commercially sold wildlife or livestock feed.

The section carves out ordinary yard life: planted gardens and standing crops, naturally growing fruit and nuts, fallen fruit or nuts, properly stored livestock feed, lawns, and bird feed are all excluded from the ban, and animal control officers, veterinarians, peace officers, city employees, and state or federal wildlife officials acting within their authority are exempt under subsection (d). 56: any animal control officer may issue a notice of ordinance violation, and a property owner then has twenty-four hours from written notice to remove the food; failing to remove it in time, or continuing to feed deer after notice, is itself a separate violation of the chapter. 00 for a first offense, doubling for every second or subsequent offense within a twelve-month period.