Turlock, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

A review of Turlock's animal code (Chapter 6-1) finds no dedicated 'wildlife feeding' prohibition - there is no section banning residents from feeding coyotes, deer, raccoons, ducks, geese, or other wild animals the way some cities have adopted to reduce nuisance wildlife and human-wildlife conflict. The one feeding restriction in the chapter is Section 6-1-115 ('Feral cats'), which makes it unlawful 'to intentionally provide food, water, or other forms of sustenance to a feral cat' unless the person registers with Animal Services as a caretaker and follows trap-neuter-return conditions (daily feeding without leaving excess food, spay/neuter, disease testing, ear-tipping, and rabies vaccination). That rule is aimed at managing feral cat colonies, not wildlife generally. Because Turlock lacks a wildlife-feeding ordinance, the practical controls are indirect: leaving food out that attracts wild animals can implicate the City's general nuisance provisions and the animal-waste/sanitation rules (Section 6-1-116 requires removing accumulated feces before odors or fly/rodent infestation), and state law governs wildlife itself. California Fish & Game Code Section 251.1 and Department of Fish & Wildlife regulations broadly prohibit harassing or, in specified cases, intentionally feeding certain big-game and predator species, and feeding that attracts coyotes or bears can create a public-safety problem addressed by state wardens. Residents concerned about nuisance wildlife should contact the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and confirm any current local rule with the City, since the operative fact is the absence of a city wildlife-feeding ban.