Iowa City, IA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Iowa City regulates wildlife feeding primarily through nuisance and animal-services authority rather than a single dedicated feeding-ban ordinance. Title 8 (Animal Services) and Title 6 (Public Health and Safety) of the City Code at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/iowacityia/latest/iowacity_ia/0-0-0-1 let the City address feeding that creates a public nuisance — feed stations that attract deer into residential neighborhoods and contribute to deer-vehicle collisions, or accumulated feed that draws rats, mice, or raccoons. Iowa City has long managed deer populations through the Iowa City Deer Management Committee and the City's deer-management plan, which has included population surveys, hazing programs, and special-deer-removal hunts coordinated with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Residents are routinely asked not to feed deer; if you observe persistent intentional feeding, contact Animal Services or Code Enforcement. Statewide, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at https://www.iowadnr.gov regulates baiting and feeding for hunting purposes under Iowa Code Chapter 481A (Wildlife) and Iowa Code Section 483A (license requirements). Iowa DNR has placed parts of eastern Iowa under chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance in certain years; baiting and feeding restrictions tighten in surveillance zones. Bird feeders for songbirds remain lawful but should be maintained to avoid generating Title 6 nuisance citations for rodent attractants.