Lakewood, WA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

LMC 8.76.341, part of the Parks and Recreation chapter's Article III rules, states it is "unlawful in any manner to tease, annoy, disturb, molest, catch, injure, or kill, throw any stone or missile of any kind, or strike with any stick or weapon any animal, bird, or fowl, or to feed any fowl, bird or animal in any park area." The provision applies within park areas under the ownership, management or control of the City of Lakewood Parks and Recreation Department, as defined in LMC 8.76.010.

It sits alongside a companion rule at LMC 8.76.340, "Animal disturbances," which separately bars allowing a dog or other pet to molest or annoy park visitors or wildlife, and LMC 8.76.410, which bans mechanical trapping devices such as snares in any city park except for authorized City pest abatement. Because 8.76.341 falls in Article III (Rules Governing Use of Facilities, Infractions), which runs from 8.76.290 through 8.76.400, rather than the misdemeanor-level Article IV that begins at 8.76.405, a violation is treated as a civil infraction rather than a criminal offense.

LMC 8.76.570 fixes the penalty for any Article II or III violation at a civil fine of no more than $125.00. This is separate from the general littering rule (LMC 8.76.360, cross-referencing Chapter 8.32) and from the pets-in-parks leash requirements at LMC 8.76.330, both of which govern different conduct in the same park areas.