Sacramento, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- No Feeding of
- No feeding of deer, coyotes, turkeys
- Parkway-specific Prohibitions
- Parkway-specific prohibitions
- CDFW code Backs
- CDFW code backs big-game rules
- Bird Feeders Allowed
- Bird feeders allowed with limits
- Fines Start at
- Fines start at 100 dollars
Summary
Sacramento prohibits feeding wildlife including deer, coyotes, turkeys, and waterfowl along the American River Parkway under SMC 9.44 and CDFW code.
Vision: To proactively address human-wildlife conflicts and improve wildlife incident responses; to support safe human-wildlife interactions; and to increase understanding, awareness and appreciation of wildlife in California. Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) can occur when humans encounter or interact with wild animals in an unwanted or unsafe way. In California, habitat loss and a changing climate have increased the frequency and type of HWC reported to CDFW. It has become more common for people to be "living with wildlife" as communities grow along the urban-wildlands interface and wildlife look for limited resources such as food, water, and habitat. As the State's trustee agency for fish and wildlife, CDFW has developed a robust HWC To
Full Breakdown
Feeding wildlife in Sacramento is banned under SMC 9.44 and is further restricted on the American River Parkway under Sacramento County code. California Fish and Game Code also makes it unlawful to intentionally feed large mammals such as deer or bears. The rule targets the food-conditioning of coyotes, raccoons, and wild turkeys that lead to aggressive encounters. Bird feeders are allowed with limits; feeding that attracts rodents or creates a nuisance is a code violation. First-offense fines start at 100 dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put out a salt lick for deer?
What about feeding stray cats?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento
California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Wildlife Feeding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sacramento County handle wildlife feeding.