Laguna Niguel, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Section 11-14-11, within the nuisance abatement division's public nuisance article, declares wildlife feeding a nuisance in five parts. Subsection (b)(3)(a) bars feeding any wild bird on public property, and (b)(3)(b) bars depositing food or any other bird-attracting attractant on a public street, sidewalk, parking lot, park or other public property. Subsection (b)(3)(c) extends the bird-feeding ban to private property too, but exempts a suspended bird feeder kept inaccessible to non-domesticated mammalian predators and rodents with the area beneath it kept free of seed debris and feces.

Subsection (b)(3)(d) is the broadest clause: it bars feeding or providing food for any non-domesticated mammalian predator, defined in Section 11-14-2 to include coyotes, raccoons, foxes, opossums, bears, mountain lions and bobcats, any non-domesticated rodent, or any other wild animal on public or private property. Subsection (b)(3)(e) separately makes it a nuisance to leave garbage containing food scraps outdoors without first securing it in a trash receptacle or closed container, the classic goose- and raccoon-attracting scenario. Subsection (b)(3)(f) carves out three narrow exceptions: a person with a state Fish and Wildlife license or permit to keep the animal, a person feeding a trapped, injured or unweaned wild animal while waiting for animal control to respond, and a wildlife rehabilitator or permitted trapper using an attractant to capture an animal.

Because the violation is defined as a public nuisance rather than a straight infraction, the community development director can pursue abatement remedies against the property owner or occupant in addition to any citation, and Section 11-14-1 makes clear these remedies are cumulative with other Code and state enforcement options.