Kanawha County's wooded hollows and river corridors bring deer, bear, and coyotes close to homes. Intentionally feeding them, or leaving pet food, trash, or fallen fruit out, habituates wildlife and can violate state wildlife rules and local nuisance codes.
Feeding wild animals around Kanawha County's forested slopes draws deer, black bear, raccoons, and coyotes toward homes and strips their fear of people, creating nuisance and safety problems. West Virginia especially discourages anything that attracts bear: unsecured garbage, pet food left outside, dirty grills, and windfall fruit all count as unintentional feeding, and the WV Division of Natural Resources can act on bear-attractant complaints. Bird feeders are generally fine but should be kept clean and taken in at night where bear are active. Report aggressive or habituated wildlife to the DNR rather than feeding or approaching it.
Intentional feeding that creates a nuisance or attracts bear and other wildlife can bring warnings and fines under state rules or local code, escalating for repeat offenders.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Kanawha County, WV
Kanawha County does not regulate holiday lights, inflatables, or yard displays on private property, and West Virginia has no state holiday-display law. No co...
Kanawha County, WV
Temporary garage-sale signs are generally fine on your own property. Unincorporated Kanawha County barely regulates them; cities apply their zoning sign code...
Kanawha County, WV
Political signs are allowed on private property across Kanawha County. Unincorporated areas have little sign regulation; Charleston's zoning code governs sig...
Kanawha County, WV
West Virginia has no statewide rental license, and unincorporated Kanawha County runs no rental registry. Programs are municipal: West Virginia Code §8-12-16...
Kanawha County, WV
West Virginia has no just-cause eviction law, and Kanawha County cannot add one. A landlord ends a month-to-month tenancy with a full period's notice under §...
Kanawha County, WV
Neither Kanawha County nor Charleston can impose rent control. West Virginia is a Dillon's Rule state, and the Legislature has never granted local government...
See how Kanawha County's wildlife feeding rules stack up against other locations.
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