Feeding Wildlife

Hamilton's Regulate the Feeding of Wildlife By-law 12-130 states that you may not feed wildlife.

Dangers of feeding wildlife

• You will attract unwanted animals to your home and neighbourhood.
• Animals associate humans with food and do not hunt for their natural food. They can become more aggressive.
• Human food is unhealthy for wildlife and may cause disease, injury or death.
• Wildlife gather in unnaturally large groups around food, such as bird feeders. This spreads parasites and disease.

If you feed wildlife, fines of up to $10,000 for your first time and up to $25,000 for a subsequent conviction are possible.

Feeding birds

You can feed birds if:

• The bird is on your property.
• You do not let bird poop pile up.
• It does not disturb your neighbours.

Waterfowl such as ducks or geese are wildlife. You cannot feed them.