Leander, TX Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Leander discourages feeding of wildlife as a public-safety and rabies-control measure. The city's Animal Services guidance tells residents not to feed wildlife and not to leave pet food outside, and explains that the city does not provide coyote capture or relocation services, relying instead on deterrence and removing attractants. The Chapter 2 code reinforces this through trapping rules in Sec. 2.04.006 (as amended in 2019): it is unlawful to set, trigger, or use any steel-jawed leg-hold trap, and, except for authorized licensed trappers, trapping of animals at high risk for rabies is prohibited - specifically raccoon, fox, coyote, and skunk. Citizens are prohibited from using even humane traps for these high-risk animals. 'Live traps' used by citizens to capture feral cats must be done in conjunction with Animal Services, a feral cat organization (for spay/neuter and vaccination), or an authorized humane shelter, and the citizen setting the trap is responsible for delivering the animal to that organization. Animal Services itself may use humane live traps for rabies control and investigation, and residents must not tamper with traps set by Animal Services. The rules are not intended to prohibit prudent use of traps on one's own property to control rodents.