Nevada County, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

We did not find a specific Nevada County ordinance section in the County Code that prohibits the general feeding of wildlife in unincorporated areas. Where the County has no local rule, California state law controls. The California Fish and Game Code and Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations make it unlawful to intentionally feed big-game mammals (including bears and deer), and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife enforces these prohibitions because feeding habituates wildlife, creates public-safety hazards, and can lead to animals being euthanized. Nevada County sits in active bear and deer habitat, and state and regional agencies repeatedly urge residents to secure food, garbage, pet food, and other attractants rather than leaving them accessible. Note that the County does regulate wild, exotic, and non-domestic animals (keeping them requires Animal Control authorization under General Code Sec. G-IV 1.55) and allows permitted wildlife-rehabilitation facilities (LUDC Sec. 3.26); these address possessing or rehabilitating wildlife rather than feeding free-ranging animals. Residents who deliberately feed wildlife or fail to secure attractants risk state enforcement and dangerous human-wildlife conflicts.