Yuba County, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)

Unincorporated Yuba County does not have a specific ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wildlife in the Animal Care Services chapter. The chapter is built around domestic and livestock animals; Code 8.05.070 makes clear that the county Animal Care Officer has no power or duty over animals that are within the jurisdiction of the United States Wildlife Services or the California Department of Fish and Wildlife - which is where authority over deer, bears, mountain lions, and other wildlife sits. For wildlife feeding, California state law controls. California Fish & Game Code 4181.1 and the implementing regulations in Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations prohibit the intentional feeding of big-game mammals (such as deer, bears, elk, and wild pigs); the Fish and Game Commission has long barred feeding that draws big game, a measure aimed at reducing human-wildlife conflict and disease spread. Practically, Yuba County's foothill terrain means bears and deer are a real concern, and residents are encouraged to secure garbage, pet food, and bird feeders. The county's general nuisance provisions (Code 8.05.210) and neglect/sanitation rules can address attractant conditions on a property, but the direct prohibition on feeding big game is a state law enforced by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, not a county ordinance.