San Diego County discourages feeding wildlife in unincorporated areas. Feeding coyotes is prohibited under County Code. Attracting nuisance wildlife through feeding can be cited under nuisance abatement provisions. California law also restricts feeding certain species.
The County discourages all wildlife feeding in unincorporated areas due to habituation concerns. Feeding coyotes is specifically prohibited under County regulations and California Fish and Game Code Section 251.1. Intentionally feeding other wildlife that creates a public nuisance (raccoons, skunks, feral cats, rodents) may be cited under the County's nuisance abatement provisions. Bird feeding is generally permitted but should be done responsibly. The County periodically issues advisories about wildlife interactions, especially regarding coyotes, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes in wildland-urban interface areas. Wildlife that becomes habituated to human feeding may be euthanized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Feeding coyotes is a misdemeanor. Creating a nuisance through wildlife feeding may result in citations and required abatement. Fines vary by violation.
San Diego County, CA
San Diego County Code Chapter 6 (Animal Control) and the noise ordinance address barking dogs. Persistently barking dogs that disturb neighbors violate Secti...
San Diego County, CA
San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances Section 36.404 sets noise limits by property zone and time of day. Residential zones: 50 dBA daytime (7 AM–10 ...
San Diego County, CA
Vehicles on public streets in unincorporated San Diego County cannot be parked for more than 72 consecutive hours. A vehicle must be moved at least 0.5 miles...
San Diego County, CA
Unincorporated San Diego County does not have a blanket overnight parking ban. The 72-hour parking rule applies. Some specific communities or HOAs may impose...
San Diego County, CA
Unincorporated San Diego County enforces the 2022 California Residential Code Section R314 (adopted under County Code Title 9, Division 1) for smoke alarms. ...
San Diego County, CA
Tree trimming in unincorporated San Diego County is required for defensible space maintenance (branches pruned to 6 feet above ground), utility clearance, an...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Diego County.
See how other cities in San Diego County handle wildlife feeding.
See how Bostonia's wildlife feeding rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.