Bylaws and Ordinances

While managing wildlife is a state or provincial responsibility, managing the attractants that draw wildlife into communities is a local one. Local governments and communities play a crucial role in enforcing bylaws that promote responsible attractant management and assisting residents and visitors in understanding how to manage wildlife attractants.

Bylaws and ordinances—laws and regulations passed by counties, municipalities, or towns or cities—not only establish legal requirements but also serve as educational tools, helping residents understand why specific rules are necessary and how everyone plays a role in managing bear and wildlife attractants.

Each community is unique, and some may be ready to adopt bylaws while others might need more time and education and outreach before moving forward. Developing outreach campaigns early helps residents understand the rules, their purpose, and how to follow them, promoting voluntary compliance and building trust. The actual adoption of local laws often follows a lot of groundwork done before hand. (Look to our Getting Started and Education and Outreach pages for more information.)

A wildlife attractant ordinance is designed to decrease the availability of human food and other attractants that bring wildlife into developed areas. Feeding wildlife, whether intentionally or unintentionally, can lead to serious problems for animals, often putting them at risk of being lethally removed. Passing wildlife bylaws or ordinances helps wildlife pass through communities without getting hung up on garbage or other unnatural food sources, reducing risks to both people and animals.

For guidance on creating a community bylaw, refer to the Wildlife Attractant Bylaw Toolkit Wildlife Attractant Bylaw Toolkit and examples below.

Enforcement

Enforcement of laws and regulations is often one of the key issues and debates in whether to pass a local law. Ordinance advocates argue that enforcement is important but not critical, as research shows that most people want to comply with local regulations. Promotion and messaging is important in influencing community members to participate voluntarily in fulfilling requirements. Others, and sometimes law enforcement officials, argue that resources providing enforcement is necessary before ordinances are passed.

Ideally, enforcement staff is a part of the campaign and implementation. Enforcement staff generally focus on promoting voluntary compliance through education, aiming to help people understand the bylaw and its purpose. Local elected officials, councils, and boards can guide enforcement staff on how enforcement should be conducted—for example, when to issue warnings versus tickets, grace periods, partnering with NGOs for resources, and other tactics. They can choose to emphasize enforcement of wildlife attractant bylaws to help reduce preventable wildlife loss, decrease the risk of human and pet injuries, community cleanliness, and minimize property or agricultural damage.

Example Regulations

Many communities and municipalities have recognized the importance of managing wildlife attractants and have adopted regulations to address the issue. These laws are designed to reduce the chances of wildlife being drawn into residential areas by unsecured garbage, pet food, birdseed, and other attractants. Below, you’ll find a sample of regulations being used in various locales.

Counties and Municipalities

Canada

  • Banff, AB: Banff enacted Bylaw 260, prohibiting the feeding of wildlife and requiring all waste—including residential, commercial, and construction waste—to be stored in wildlife-resistant bins.

  • Canmore, AB: The town’s Recyclables and Waste Disposal Bylaw requires residents and businesses to store waste in wildlife-resistant containers and prohibits placing waste curbside before collection day.

  • Whistler, B.C.: Whistler’s Solid Waste Bylaw includes strict requirements for managing garbage, compost, and food waste. Commercial and residential properties must use wildlife-resistant containers.

United States

  • Aspen, CO: The city’s Wildlife Protection Ordinance mandates bear-resistant garbage containers for homes and businesses, limits outdoor food storage, and regulates bird feeders.

  • Boulder, CO: Ordinance 7962 mandates that all residents use bear-resistant garbage cans or store trash securely inside a bear-resistant house, garage, shed, or other structure.

  • Durango, CO: Durango’s Ordinance 0-2010-6 mandates that garbage must be stored in wildlife-resistant containers or kept indoors until collection day.

  • Jackson, WY: In response to increased bear activity, the town of Jackson implemented Ordinance 1323, which requires the use of bear-resistant trash containers in specific zones.

  • Teton County, WY: All of Teton County prohibits the unintentional feeding of wildlife through county Land Development Regulations. This includes prohibiting the planting of fruit trees and requires the use of bear-resistant trash containers.

  • West Yellowstone, MT: The city’s Chapter 6.08 Bears details that all garbage must be kept in a bear-resistant canister or a secure building.

  • Whitefish, MT: The city passed Solid Waste Mandatory Municipal Code 4-2, which requires all residents and businesses to use bear-resistant containers. The ordinance also includes enforcement mechanisms and education components to support long-term compliance.

  • Missoula, MT: The city adopted Ordinance 3419, which requires bear-resistant containers in designated bear buffer zones and restricts the times when garbage can be placed out for collection. Similar requirements exist in other parts of the county.

  • El Dorado County, CA: Ordinance 5083 requires all garbage must be stored in bear-resistant containers, capturing unincorporated communities in the county. Additionally, Ordinance 4600 requires bear-resistant garbage can enclosures be installed with construction of all new residential units in specific areas.

Homeowner Associations (HOAs)

  • Woodlawn Heights, FL: This HOA's Bear Ordinance requires bear-resistant garbage containers or to retain trash within a hard-sided building until pickup.

  • Sugar Mountain, NC: This HOA adopted an amendment to their Nuisance Ordinance that requires the use of bear-resistant containers and provides details on what is considered an acceptable container.

  • Big Mountain, MT: This HOA’s Garbage Ordinance requires the use of the trash compactor instead of garbage cans or curbside pickup to prevent conflicts.

  • Badger Bay, MT: The Badger Bay subdivision has a Garbage Ordinance requiring all garbage to be stored in bear-resistant containers and not set out until garbage pickup. They also mention harvesting fruit from fruit trees and berry shrubs when ripe, as well as restricting bird feeders from April to October to avoid attracting wildlife.

  • Aspen Grove, MT: This HOA’s Trash and Garbage Ordinance requires bear-resistant garbage cans that the trash hauler approves.

  • Ponderosa Heights, MT: In their Living with Wildlife Covenant, this HOA requires fruit and berries to be picked and garbage to be stored in a bear-resistant container or indoors to not attract bears and other wildlife. They also restrict bird feeders from April 1st through the end of November.

  • Big Hawk, MT: This HOA’s Wildlife Covenant requires that all garbage must be in bear-resistant garbage containers and stored in enclosed buildings and that other attractants such as pet food, grills, and coolers are secured. Homeowners are not permitted to have fruit trees or a garden unless they have built and maintained an electric fence. They also only allow bird feeders to be hung from December 15 to March 15.

More Resources

  • Guide: The Wildlife Attractant Bylaw Toolkit includes sample bylaws, considerations for presenting bylaws to a council or board, and other considerations.

  • Guide: The Bear Ordinance Guidance from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, provides several resources, examples, and links.