Yavapai County, AZ Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Adopted November 19, 2025 and effective 30 days later, Ordinance No. 05 to bring that prohibition into force locally. Section II makes it unlawful feeding of wildlife to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly feed, attract, or otherwise entice wildlife into an area; 'feeding' and 'attracting' are both defined in Section I as placing edible material, including human or animal food, food by-product, animal carcass, refuse, garbage or water, where wildlife can reach it. Section III carves out four exceptions: lawful hunting or holding of wildlife under Title 17 and Game and Fish Commission rules, public employees and authorized agents acting for safety or wildlife-management purposes, normal agricultural or livestock practices, and feeding tree squirrels or birds if the food is placed so other wildlife cannot get it.

Section IV puts enforcement in the hands of County, State and municipal law enforcement, and treats each violation, and each day a violation goes uncorrected, as a separate offense. The civil fine schedule scales with conduct: up to $300 if, after a law-enforcement contact over a bear, mountain lion, coyote or javelina confrontation on the person's own property, the person fails to promptly secure or remove the attracting material; up to $200 for a repeat intentional or knowing violation; and up to $100 for a repeat reckless violation. The ordinance excludes sovereign tribal nations within the county.