Merced, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

After reviewing the full text of Merced Municipal Code Title 6, Chapter 6.04 (Animal Control), there is no section that specifically prohibits or permits feeding wildlife such as deer, coyotes, raccoons, or feral cats; no dedicated wildlife-feeding ordinance appears in the chapter. The city's general tools that could reach problem feeding are the animal-nuisance provisions: Section 6.04.010D defines an "animal nuisance" to include causing unsanitary conditions, attracting odors, or creating danger to public health by the number or types of animals maintained, and Section 6.04.280 lets the city abate such nuisances after a hearing. Section 6.04.040 (prohibited conduct) and the sanitation duty in Section 6.04.100 apply to animals an owner keeps, not to wild animals a person merely feeds, so they are an imperfect fit. Feeding that draws rodents, creates accumulated waste, or otherwise creates unsanitary conditions on a property may be addressed under those nuisance and code-enforcement provisions. Note that California Fish & Game Code Section 2118 prohibits possessing restricted wild animals, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife discourages and in places restricts intentional feeding of big-game and predator species; residents with a specific wildlife-feeding concern should contact City code enforcement and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. As of the current code (through Ordinance No. 2589, 2026), Merced has not adopted a stand-alone anti-feeding ordinance.