Jackson, NJ Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- Where it applies
- Township parks and Township-owned property only
- Adopted
- February 28, 2005, Ordinance No. 09-05
- Exempt wildlife
- Zoo, rehab center or education center animals
- Enforcing officers
- Code Enforcement Officer or Animal Control Officer
- Maximum fine
- $100 per violation, § 98-55
Summary
Jackson Township, New Jersey bans feeding unconfined wildlife, deer, geese and strays alike, on any public park or other Township-owned property. Code § 98-53, adopted February 28, 2005 by Ordinance No. 09-05, exempts only confined animals at zoos, rehabilitation centers or environmental education centers. The Code Enforcement Officer or Animal Control Officer can order the feeding stopped immediately, and a violation carries a fine of up to $100 under § 98-55.
§ 98-51. Purpose. The purpose of this article is to prohibit the feeding of unconfined wildlife in any public park or on any other property owned or operated by the Township of Jackson, so as to protect public health, safety and welfare, and to prescribe penalties for failure to comply. § 98-5 ... ... 3. Prohibited conduct. No person shall feed, in any public park or on any other property owned or operated by the Township of Jackson, any wildlife, excluding confined wildlife (for example, wildlife confined in zoos, parks or rehabilitation centers, or unconfined wildlife at environmental education centers). § 98-5 ... ... 5. Violations and penalties. Any person(s) who is found to be in violation of the provisions of this article shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $100.
Full Breakdown
Article IX of Chapter 98, adopted February 28, 2005 by Ordinance No. 09-05, targets wildlife feeding on Township land. Section 98-51 states the purpose is to prohibit feeding unconfined wildlife on any public park or other property owned or operated by the Township of Jackson, to protect public health, safety and welfare. Section 98-52 defines FEED broadly as giving, placing, exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering any edible material with the intention of feeding, attracting or enticing wildlife, though it excludes baiting used in the lawful taking of fish and game, and defines WILDLIFE as all animals that are not domesticated.
The operative ban in § 98-53 covers any wildlife on a Township park or other Township-owned or -operated property, excluding wildlife confined in zoos, parks or rehabilitation centers, or unconfined wildlife at environmental education centers, so a resident cannot leave out corn for deer or bread for geese on Township property. Enforcement falls to the Jackson Township Code Enforcement Officer or the Animal Control Officer under § 98-54A, and any person found in violation must be ordered to cease the feeding immediately under § 98-54B, before any fine is pursued.
Section 98-55 caps the penalty at a fine not to exceed $100 per violation. The article does not reach private property, so it does not by its terms restrict a homeowner from feeding birds or wildlife in a backyard; it is limited to Township parks and other Township-owned or -operated land.
Violations & Fines
Feeding unconfined wildlife on a Township park or other Township-owned property violates § 98-53. The Code Enforcement Officer or Animal Control Officer must first order the feeding to stop immediately under § 98-54B; continued or repeated feeding after that order can bring a fine of up to $100 under § 98-55.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I feed the geese at a Jackson Township park?
Does the wildlife feeding ban apply to my own backyard?
What's the penalty for feeding wildlife in a Jackson Township park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jackson
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Wildlife Feeding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle wildlife feeding.