How to Stop Neighbors From Leaving Food and Water for Wildlife

October 1, 2015

Question: What can be done legally to stop my neighbors from leaving food and water outside for animals? Raccoons and rats have invaded our homes and yards and are leaving unhealthy feces behind, tearing the fabric on our patio furniture and causing other problems. How can we get them to stop? (Sally S.)

Answer: Many people think they are helping wild animals when they provide food and water for them. However, all they are doing is luring the animals into conflicts with people living in the area. CDFW provides information about the inadvertent negative results on our website (search for “feeding wildlife”). You could start by educating your neighbor about the harm they are doing by providing them some of the information, and then hope that their heart is in the right place and they will stop. If the actions continue, some cities have passed local ordinances that make it illegal to feed wildlife, and CCR Title 14, section 251.1 makes it unlawful to harass wildlife (causing them to alter their normal behavior), which can include feeding them. Hopefully, educating your neighbors will preclude having to get law enforcement personnel involved.

Clearly this person has never had a problem with a neighbor!

Situation: Your neighbor's dog is allowed to roam freely, using the neighborhood lawns as toilets.

Proposed solution: Educate your neighbor about leash laws and hope that their heart is in the right place.

New Situation: Leash in hand, the neighbor now guides his dog to your lawn exclusively.

Clearly this person has never had a problem with a neighbor!

Exactly. A neighbor of mine owns the land along my (1/4 mile long) driveway. He won't let me trim the brush that grows into the drive or over the power lines, and he won't trim it either. And PGE won't trim over the power lines, since we're the only house on the street. Really irritating sometimes...

Clearly this person has never had a problem with a neighbor!

Exactly. A neighbor of mine owns the land along my (1/4 mile long) driveway. He won't let me trim the brush that grows into the drive or over the power lines, and he won't trim it either. And PGE won't trim over the power lines, since we're the only house on the street. Really irritating sometimes...

I'll take that over crowing roosters 5-7 days a week.

Once it's over your road it's on your property.  You can trim it back to the property line without the neighbors permission

Once it's over your road it's on your property.  You can trim it back to the property line without the neighbors permission

Yup , if it hangs on my side of the fence and I don't like it out comes the chain saw.  My property my choice.

Once it's over your road it's on your property.  You can trim it back to the property line without the neighbors permission

Yup , if it hangs on my side of the fence and I don't like it out comes the chain saw.  My property my choice.

Yep.

Is it legal to seal the cut ends with roundup?

What Roundup, I didn't see any of that