Dubuque, IA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Adopted by Ordinance 15-25 on May 5, 2025, Dubuque City Code § 7-6G-1 defines an "attractant" as any substance that does or could reasonably be expected to attract bears, including food products, pet food, feed, garbage, compost, food scraps, grain, or salt, and defines "feed" as the act of providing food or food waste, including leaving food, trash, or other attractants accessible to bears. Section 7-6G-2 then makes it unlawful to feed a bear for any purpose whatsoever, to negligently or otherwise make any food available to bears, to harass a bear (including approaching it by foot, vehicle, or drone for any purpose, including photography), or to disregard law enforcement commands, orders, signs, or barriers meant to protect bears and the public.

If a bear-related issue is reported near a property and an attractant is contributing to the bear's presence, § 7-6G-3 requires the owner or occupant to remove it immediately upon request and keep it removed for at least ten days regardless of whether the bear is still present. The article exempts wildlife management authorities and law enforcement acting in their official capacity, and it exempts regularly scheduled City refuse collection unless law enforcement orders otherwise. The ordinance is written around bears specifically and does not create a parallel feeding ban for deer, geese, or stray cats and dogs, which remain outside this article.