El Dorado County, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- Tahoe watershed rule
- No feeding any wild mammal
- Countywide rule
- No feeding coyote, lion, deer, bear
- Charge level
- Infraction plus public nuisance
- Exception
- Valid § 6.28.050 wild animal permit
- Last amended
- Ord. No. 5207, Sept. 24, 2024
Summary
El Dorado County makes it an infraction to knowingly feed any wild mammal in the South Lake Tahoe watershed, and to feed coyotes, mountain lions, deer or bears anywhere else in the County, under Code section 6.28.055; a violation is also declared a public nuisance subject to abatement.
A. In the South Lake Tahoe watershed within the County, as delineated on the official maps of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, no person shall knowingly and willfully feed or in any manner provide access to food to any wild animal, as defined in Section 6.28.050, of the class Mammalia (mammals). B. In all portions of the County not specified in Subsection A of this section, no person shall knowingly and willfully feed or in any manner provide access to food to any coyote, mountain lion, deer, or bear. C. Violations of this section shall be deemed an infraction. In addition, violations of this section are hereby declared to constitute a public nuisance which threatens the public health and safety and which shall be subject to abatement through applicable administrative and judicial proceedings.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
055 splits the County into two feeding zones. 050's 'wild animal' definition, which incorporates the Fish and Game Code's list of non-domesticated species. Everywhere else in the unincorporated County, the ban narrows to four species named specifically: coyote, mountain lion, deer and bear. ' A violation is charged as an infraction, and the section separately declares any violation to be a public nuisance, which lets the County pursue abatement through administrative or judicial proceedings in addition to a citation. 050 from both the Director of Animal Control and the State Department of Fish and Game; feeding an animal that person lawfully possesses on their own property under that permit doesn't violate this section. The ordinance was most recently amended by Ordinance No. 5207 in 2024, updating the original 1997 version adopted by Ordinance No. 4437.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Section 6.28.055 is an infraction, and it is also declared a public nuisance under subsection (C), exposing a violator to abatement proceedings, administrative or judicial, in addition to the citation itself. Repeated feeding that draws bears or mountain lions into a neighborhood can escalate County Animal Control's nuisance-abatement response beyond a simple fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to leave food out for deer in El Dorado County?
Can I feed geese or other wild birds?
What is the penalty for feeding a bear or coyote?
Does this apply to someone who legally keeps a wild animal as a pet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Dorado County
California rules heatmap·Compare El Dorado County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.