Osceola County, FL Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- no outdoor pet/cat food left after dark
- Reason
- attracts wildlife that may carry rabies
- Exception
- food placed inside a live trap
- Caregiver duty
- feed appropriate amounts, remove leftovers, no debris
- Consent needed
- landowner consent to feed on their land
Summary
Osceola County bars leaving pet or community-cat food outside after dark because it can attract wildlife capable of carrying rabies, under Code § 4-31(h), though registered community cat caregivers may feed responsibly with safeguards against overfeeding and debris.
(h)No person shall leave food outside during hours of darkness for pets or community cats due to the potential to attract other animals including wildlife that may carry and transmit rabies except in cases where the food is placed inside a trap in an effort to capture an animal. Community cat caregivers, as defined in this chapter, must make every effort to minimize the impact on local wildlife and feed an appropriate amount of food given the number of cats. Measures must be taken to mitigate problems with other residents including but not limited to discarding food that is left over to prevent it from becoming rancid and attracting pests. Feeding areas must be kept free of debris. If caregivers are feeding on another's property, consent must be obtained from the landowner.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 71 | Land Development Code: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
Section 4-31(h) of the Osceola County Code prohibits leaving food outside during hours of darkness for pets or community cats, because doing so risks attracting other animals, including wildlife, that may carry and transmit rabies. The one exception is food placed inside a trap being used to capture an animal. The rule specifically accommodates community cat caregivers, defined elsewhere in Chapter 4 as people who provide food, water, shelter, or veterinary care to a community cat without being its legal owner. Caregivers must make every effort to minimize impact on local wildlife and feed only an appropriate amount given the number of cats present. They must also take measures to prevent problems for neighbors, including discarding leftover food before it turns rancid and attracts pests, and keeping feeding areas free of debris. If a caregiver feeds on someone else's property, the landowner's consent is required first.
The rule sits inside the broader nuisance section that also bans letting animals run at large, requires owners to clean up solid waste, and bans slaughtering livestock or chickens on non-agriculturally zoned land inside the urban growth boundary. Osceola County Animal Services enforces Section 4-31 as a whole, and a persistent nighttime feeding complaint that draws stray animals or wildlife onto a property can be investigated as a nuisance alongside any related noise or waste complaints.
Violations & Fines
Leaving food outside after dark in violation of Section 4-31(h) is cited as 'animal creating nuisance' under Section 4-12(b): $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second, $300 for a third, and $400 for a fourth, each with a $5 state surcharge under F.S. Chapter 828. Repeated complaints tied to the same feeding location can also trigger a nuisance investigation of the property itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave cat food outside overnight in unincorporated Osceola County?
Are community cat caregivers allowed to feed at all?
What's the penalty for violating the nighttime feeding rule?
Does this rule apply to feeding deer or other wild animals directly?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Osceola County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Osceola County to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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