Placentia, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Section 9.20.050 of the Placentia Municipal Code, added by Ordinance O-2023-01 on April 18, 2023, works through four prohibitions. Subsection (a) bars purposely or knowingly feeding wild animals on public property in the City of Placentia. Subsection (b) bars feeding any wild animal on private property when it constitutes a public nuisance. Subsection (c) bars leaving or storing any refuse, garbage, pet food, fruit, meat, dairy, vegetable, grain or other food in a negligent manner likely to feed wild animals. Subsection (d) bars failing to take remedial action to cease contact or conflict with wild animals, including securing or removing outdoor refuse, cooking grills, pet food, backyard bird feeders or any other similar food source or attractant when that action is necessary to eliminate a public nuisance.

Section 9.20.010 defines to feed broadly: to give, distribute, place, expose, deposit or scatter any edible material on any public or private property with the intention of feeding, attracting, domesticating or enticing wild animals, whether or not wild animals are in the vicinity at the time. Feeding does not include baiting in the permitted and legal take or depredation of wild animals under federal, state and local law.

Section 9.20.060 lists three exceptions. Landscaping, gardening and maintaining vegetable gardens, fruit and nut trees or other plants are exempt, so long as the activity is not conducted for the purpose of feeding wild animals. Baiting feral cats for trapping as part of an approved Trap-Neuter-Release program is exempt. A property owner baiting to trap wild animals on the property is exempt when authorized by state law, including trapping gophers, house mice, moles, rats and voles under Fish and Game Code Section 4005(f).

In parks, sports fields, recreational areas and open space, § 9.20.030 separately bars feeding wild animals. Section 9.20.010 excludes bird life from wild animal except as otherwise provided by law, and § 9.20.040 addresses ducks and squirrels as harassment.