Bothell, WA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Bothell regulates wildlife feeding through one sentence under the heading Public health and safety: feeding of wildlife that creates an environment for rats and unsanitary conditions is unlawful. The test is the result of the feeding, not the species. The section names no deer, geese, ducks or coyotes, and it does not ban every act of putting out food. Feeding becomes unlawful when it creates an environment for rats and unsanitary conditions in the City of Bothell.

The rule sits in Chapter 6.12 with the rabies vaccine requirement for all dogs and cats (BMC 6.12.010), the 10-day quarantine for any dog or cat that bites a person, and the bar on releasing an animal from confinement or restraint unless the owner or an authorized person does it (BMC 6.12.030). BMC 6.04.010 states the purpose of Title 6: levels of animal control that protect human health and safety and, to the greatest degree practicable, prevent injury to property.

The chapter's enforcement section, BMC 6.12.050, prints a civil infraction schedule: $100.00 for the first notice of violation and $250.00 for each successive violation in any 12-month period, with second and later penalties not suspended or deferred. That section is worded around a person whose animal is maintained in violation of the chapter, and BMC 6.12.040 prints no penalty of its own, so the text does not say in so many words which schedule reaches a person who feeds wildlife.

Title-wide procedures in Chapter 6.24 also apply. BMC 6.24.050 declares all violations of Title 6 detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare and public nuisances that shall be abated after review by the animal control authority. BMC 6.24.260 makes further violations misdemeanors under Chapter 1.24 BMC once the same violator has been found to have committed an infraction for the same or similar conduct two or more separate times. The animal control authority is the chief of police or designee or a contracted enforcement authority (BMC 6.04.020).