California Fish and Game Code §251.3 prohibits feeding big game, furbearing mammals, and non-game mammals statewide. FMC §9-2810 also prohibits feeding of feral cats, pigeons, rodents, and wildlife where it creates a public nuisance. Bird feeders for songbirds are allowed unless they attract rats or create sanitation issues.
California Fish and Game Code §251.3 makes it unlawful to intentionally feed deer, elk, bears, mountain lions, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks, opossums, and bobcats. Violations are a misdemeanor. Fresno FMC §9-2810 supplements state law by prohibiting feeding that causes accumulation of feces, attracts pests, or otherwise creates a public nuisance. Feeding feral cat colonies and flocks of pigeons is the most common local enforcement issue. TNR (trap-neuter-return) programs operated by Fresno Humane Animal Services are an exception when conducted under a managed colony protocol. Bird feeders for songbirds are generally allowed but must be kept clean, not overflow onto the ground, and not attract rodents. In neighborhoods near the San Joaquin River and orchards, coyote-feeding habituation causes serious pet-safety problems and is actively enforced. Squirrels technically fall under protected non-game mammal rules; intentional feeding can be cited.
Misdemeanor under §251.3 up to $1,000 and/or 6 months; FMC §9-2810 infractions with escalating fines.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Fresno County.
See how other cities in Fresno County handle wildlife feeding.
See how Fresno's wildlife feeding rules stack up against other locations.
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