Wyoming, MI Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Wyoming Code of Ordinances § 50-171(d)
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor: up to 90 days/$500 fine
- Bird feeding
- Allowed only on own or consented private property
- Public property
- Bird feeding barred without written city consent
- Enacted
- Ord. No. 2-24, § 4, April 15, 2024
Summary
In Wyoming, Michigan (Kent County), Code § 50-171(d) makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly feed wild animals other than birds. Wild-bird feeding is allowed only on the feeder's own property, or on other private property with the owner's consent, and is barred in city parks and rights-of-way without written city consent.
(d)Knowingly feeds wild animals, other than wild birds. Feeding of wild birds is allowed only on a person's own property or other private property with the consent of the owner. Unless the public entity owning it first consents in writing, wild birds may not be fed in city parks, rights-of-way, or other public places.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 00 fine, or both. The rule draws a sharp line between wild birds and every other wild species. Knowingly feeding any wild animal other than a wild bird, whether deer, raccoons, coyotes or similar animals, is unlawful anywhere in the city. Feeding wild birds is carved out as an exception, but only on the feeder's own property, or on someone else's private property with that owner's consent. Even bird feeding loses its protection in public spaces: the ordinance bars feeding wild birds in city parks, rights-of-way, or other public places unless the public entity that owns the property first consents in writing.
The provision was added by Ordinance No. 2-24, § 4, adopted April 15, 2024, alongside the wild-animal possession and dangerous-animal rules in the same section, reflecting a citywide effort to reduce nuisance wildlife habituation near residential areas bordering Grand Rapids and other Kent County suburbs.
Violations & Fines
Knowingly feeding a wild animal other than a wild bird, or feeding wild birds in a city park or right-of-way without the city's written consent, is a misdemeanor under Sec. 50-171, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.00, or both, the same penalty that applies to the section's wild-animal possession and dangerous-animal provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I feed deer or raccoons in my backyard in Wyoming, Michigan?
Am I allowed to put out a bird feeder in Wyoming, MI?
Can I feed birds at a Wyoming city park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wyoming
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