Sammamish, WA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SMC § 7A.18.050
- Prohibition
- Feeding wildlife in any city park/open space
- Exception
- Licensed fishing/shellfishing in designated areas
- Offense class
- Civil offense
- Related rule
- Harassing wildlife (§ 7A.18.030) is a misdemeanor
Summary
Sammamish Municipal Code § 7A.18.050 makes it unlawful to feed wildlife anywhere in city open spaces, trails, park areas, park facilities or marine areas, with a narrow carve-out for licensed fishing and shellfishing in designated areas. A violation is a civil offense, and it sits alongside a broader ban on disturbing wildlife at § 7A.18.030.
It is unlawful for any person in any City of Sammamish open space, trail, park area, park facility or associated marine area to feed wildlife, except that this prohibition does not include licensed fishing or shellfishing activity in designated areas. Any person violating provisions of this rule shall have committed a civil offense.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance O2026-598, and legislation passed through August 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
" The feeding ban is deliberately broad, covering geese, deer, waterfowl, or any other wild animal in a city park, trail, open space or marine area, and its only exception is for lawful, licensed fishing or shellfishing. 030: except for authorized fishing and shellfishing subject to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife rules, "no person in any manner may capture, tease, annoy, harass, disturb, strike, mutilate, injure or damage any animal" in a city park, trail, open space, facility or marine area, and that offense is a criminal misdemeanor, a materially harsher penalty than the civil-offense feeding ban.
020, both criminal misdemeanors. Both the feeding and harassment rules were adopted by Ordinance O2021-531 § 3 (Att. A), the same ordinance that codified the current Chapter 7A park rules. 020.
Violations & Fines
Feeding wildlife, geese, ducks, deer, or any wild animal, in a Sammamish park, trail, open space, or marine area is a civil offense under § 7A.18.050. Harassing, capturing, or injuring wildlife instead falls under § 7A.18.030's criminal misdemeanor, and administrative sanctions under § 7A.19.020, including ejection or loss of park privileges, can apply on top of either citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to feed geese or deer in a Sammamish park?
What's the difference between the feeding ban and the wildlife-harassment rule?
Can I feed wildlife if I have a fishing license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sammamish
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Wildlife Feeding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle wildlife feeding.