Downey, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Adopted by Ordinance 19-1412 on June 25, 2019, Section 4980 finds that feeding wildlife harms the animals and creates a public health and safety nuisance. Section 4981 defines "wildlife" narrowly as coyotes, foxes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, ducks, geese, crows, feral cats and gulls, so the ban does not reach every backyard critter. Section 4982 sets three distinct prohibitions: knowingly feeding wildlife (a), negligently storing refuse, pet food, seed, fruit, meat, dairy, vegetables or grain in a way likely to attract wildlife (b), and failing to secure outdoor food sources after a Downey Code Enforcement Officer has advised remedial action (c).

Section 4983 carves out real exceptions: ordinary gardening and fruit/nut trees, feeding birds outdoors on private residential property with a bird feeder, state or local wildlife-management agents baiting under a program, licensed wildlife rehabilitators and permit holders caring for sick or orphaned animals, and property owners baiting to trap gophers, house mice, moles, rats or voles under Fish and Game Code Section 4005(f) or trapping nongame mammals under 14 CCR Section 472. A person who finds trapped or injured wildlife may feed it only until animal control arrives and must notify an authorized agency immediately. Because Chapter 12 does not set its own penalty schedule, violations default to the citywide Section 1200 scheme.