San Luis Obispo County, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

002 is written broadly: it does not name deer, geese, or any single species, instead banning placing, depositing, or maintaining food, water, shelter, or any similar attractant for an animal in a public park, plaza, woodland, or any other public place, and it extends the same ban onto private property belonging to someone else unless that property owner or tenant expressly consents. Because the definition of animal at Sec. 003(c) covers any member of the animal kingdom other than a human being, the ban reaches wildlife such as deer, coyotes, and geese as well as stray domestic animals; a homeowner who wants to feed backyard wildlife on their own land faces no bar under this section, since the restriction targets public places and other people's property.

Enforcement runs through the Division of Animal Services under the chief animal control officer, part of the County Health Agency established at Sec. 001, whose officers hold citation authority under Sec. 006. A violation is an infraction under Sec. 012, and each day the feeding or attractant continues counts as a separate offense. 04's countywide infraction schedule then sets the fine: up to $50 for a first violation, up to $100 for a second within one year, and up to $250 for each additional violation within that year.

The section carries no permit or exemption process of its own, unlike the county's parks-specific feeding rule at Sec. 060(g), which lets the parks director authorize feeding wildlife within a county park in advance; Sec. 002 applies with no such authorization path outside park boundaries.