Stockton Municipal Code Title 6 (Animals) and Title 8 (Health and Safety) as identified through Animal Services do not contain a stand-alone ordinance prohibiting feeding of wildlife such as coyotes, deer, raccoons or waterfowl. California Department of Fish and Wildlife's 'Keep Me Wild' program strongly discourages feeding, and feeding that creates a public-safety hazard or attracts protected wildlife can violate Fish and Game Code provisions and SMC Title 8 nuisance rules.
Stockton's posted Title 6 sections (6.04.090 licensing, 6.04.130 at-large, 6.04.310 burial of dead animals, 6.04.390/400 number-of-pets, 6.04.440 prohibited livestock) and Title 8 (Health & Safety, including Ch. 8.20 Noise Regulations) do not include a stand-alone 'no feeding wildlife' provision. However: (1) the California Department of Fish and Wildlife 'Keep Me Wild' campaign instructs Californians never to feed wildlife and notes that 'a fed animal is a dead animal' because habituated animals become dangerous and are often killed; (2) feeding that causes a habituated animal to become a public-safety hazard can trigger CDFW depredation action; and (3) attracting rats, raccoons or pigeons into accumulations of garbage or fecal matter can be abated under SMC Title 8 sanitary nuisance provisions and SMC 8.20.040 (animal noise). Feeding of feral cats is regulated indirectly through Stockton Animal Services' Trap, Neuter & Return (TNR) program, which is the city's recognized framework for managed colonies.
There is no specific Stockton fine for casually feeding songbirds or squirrels. Feeding that creates a documented nuisance (accumulated feces, attractant rodents, habituated coyotes posing a threat) is abated under SMC Title 8 with administrative citation amounts of $100 / $200 / $500 for first, second and third offenses. Feeding bears (not present in Stockton) or other large game in a way that creates a hazard can violate Cal. Fish & Game Code and Title 14 CCR rules administered by CDFW.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Stockton, CA
Vehicle noise on Stockton streets is regulated primarily by the California Vehicle Code (§§ 27150–27207), not by the Municipal Code. State law requires a fun...
Stockton, CA
Stockton's Development Code allows common residential fence materials (wood, vinyl, masonry, wrought iron, chain link) subject to design standards in Chapter...
Stockton, CA
Sidewalk vending in Stockton is regulated under SB 946 (Cal. Govt. Code §§51036-51039) and the City's 2025 ordinance update (SMC Titles 5, 8, 12). Vendors mu...
Stockton, CA
Stockton Municipal Code Chapter 12.56 (Use of Public Parks) does not contain a stand-alone drone prohibition, but parks are closed from one hour after sundow...
Stockton, CA
All yard waste — grass clippings, leaves, branches, weeds — must go in the 90-gallon green-lid organics cart along with food scraps and food-soiled paper. Lo...
Stockton, CA
Under SMC 8.04.210 it is unlawful to throw or deposit any recyclable material, green waste, rubbish, or waste matter on any Stockton street. The 2024 illegal...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Joaquin County.
See how other cities in San Joaquin County handle wildlife feeding.
See how Stockton's wildlife feeding rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.