Bolingbrook, IL Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Section 34-10 of the Bolingbrook Code of Ordinances, Feeding of wildlife, adopted by Ordinance No. 22-052 on August 23, 2022, makes it unlawful for any person to ground feed, as defined in the section, or place table scraps, seeds, domestic animal food or any like or similar substance outdoors in any residential zoning district of the village, outside of appropriate waste containers. Subsection (b) defines ground feeding broadly as feeding animals or birds, including without limitation cats, chipmunks, rats, mice, rabbits, ducks, geese, raccoons, coyotes, skunks, deer, opossums, foxes, or squirrels, by spreading, casting, dumping or depositing food on any public or private property in the village.

The ban targets the specific act of putting food on the ground or pavement, whether intentionally to attract deer or geese or simply by leaving pet food or scraps outdoors; either way, the practice is prohibited in residential districts. The ordinance carves out one clear exception: it does not include above ground bird feeders as long as all feed is placed in a container or feeder designed for the specific purpose of feeding birds, so a resident can keep a standard elevated bird feeder without violating the section, provided seed does not simply pile up loose on the ground beneath it.

The rule sits in Chapter 34's nuisances article, reflecting the village's rationale that ground feeding draws rodents, geese and other wildlife into residential neighborhoods and creates a public health and nuisance concern.