Wildlife Feeding: Palo Alto vs Sunnyvale
How do wildlife feeding rules compare between Palo Alto, CA and Sunnyvale, CA?
Sunnyvale has fewer restrictions than Palo Alto.
Palo Alto, CA
Santa Clara County
Palo Alto prohibits feeding wild deer, coyotes, raccoons, and other wildlife citywide under PAMC 6.08 to reduce human-wildlife conflicts, especially near the foothills.
View full Palo Alto rules →Sunnyvale, CA
Santa Clara County
Intentionally feeding coyotes, raccoons, skunks, deer, feral cats, or non-songbird wildlife is prohibited in Sunnyvale as a public nuisance due to the risk of human-wildlife conflict in Baylands-adjacent neighborhoods.
View full Sunnyvale rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Palo Alto | Sunnyvale |
|---|---|---|
| Deer and coyotes | Prohibited to feed | - |
| Songbird feeders | Allowed | - |
| Pet food outside | Constructive feeding | - |
| First-offense response | Warning | - |
| Max fine | 500 dollars | - |
| Prohibited feeding | - | Coyotes, deer, raccoons, turkeys |
| Feral cats | - | TNR programs only |
| Songbirds | - | Allowed with clean feeders |
| Enforcement | - | Animal Control / Code Enforcement |
| Hotspot | - | Baylands-adjacent streets |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Palo Alto FAQ
Can I put out a water dish for deer?
No, providing water sources to wildlife is considered feeding under Palo Alto rules.
What about feral cats?
Managed TNR colonies are allowed but require coordination with Animal Services.
Sunnyvale FAQ
Can I leave water out for wildlife in a drought?
Water for songbirds and domestic pets is allowed. Water stations that intentionally attract deer or coyotes are treated the same as feeding.
Is feeding squirrels a violation?
Incidental feeding from a bird feeder is tolerated, but deliberate hand-feeding or ground feeding that attracts raccoons and rats can result in a nuisance citation.
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