Hanford, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- Feeding ducks/pigeons
- banned citywide except city ponds
- Attractant habitat
- requires a city permit
- Classified as
- migratory animals
- Enforced by
- Hanford animal control officer
Summary
Hanford, California prohibits feeding ducks and pigeons on private or public property citywide, and bans placing habitat meant to attract them, except at designated city park water features.
Ducks and pigeons are considered migratory animals and shall not, except as otherwise allowed by this municipal code, be fed on private or public property. No habitat designed to attract ducks and/or pigeons onto private or public property are to be placed on private or public property in any zone in the city, without a permit for the erection of the habitat. Ducks may be fed at city parks that have a pond or similar water feature used by fowl.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4873707; v4 updated 2026-03-17).
Full Breakdown
Hanford Municipal Code § 6.08.051 treats ducks and pigeons as migratory animals and bars feeding them on any private or public property in the city, with one carve-out: ducks may be fed at city parks that have a pond or similar water feature used by fowl. The section also bans placing any habitat designed to attract ducks or pigeons onto private or public property, in any zone, without first obtaining a permit for the habitat's erection, closing off backyard duck ponds and feeding stations as a workaround.
Violations & Fines
Feeding ducks or pigeons outside a designated park pond, or installing an unpermitted attractant habitat, is a Title 6 infraction enforceable by Hanford animal control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I feed ducks at a Hanford city park?
Can I build a duck pond in my Hanford backyard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hanford
California rules heatmap·Compare Hanford to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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