This presentation is provided at the request of Council and is for informational purpose only.

In the past several years the Arizona Game & Fish Department has received several complaints from citizens in Flagstaff regarding the intentional feeding of wildlife, specifically deer and elk. Intentional feeding attracts wildlife to a specific area and over a very short course of time they become habituated to humans and become a nuisance. They also damage the property of homeowners. Once attracted and habituated to humans they pose a public safety concern as wildlife become dependent on humans for food, less wary of humans and may become dangerous, unpredictable and aggressive. Feeding will also create unnatural crowding and can attract predators such as coyotes, lions, bobcats and bears. One person feeding could potentially cause problems for themselves and surrounding neighbors by drawing predators into the area. There are also concerns that the food source that is being used can actually harm wildlife as it is usually not formulated for consumption by wildlife and can especially harm young animals. Feeding will concentrate wildlife and increase animal to animal contact further spreading disease such as eye and respiratory infections and in many cases rabies.   
 
The City of Flagstaff and the Flagstaff Police Department worked in collaboration with the Arizona Game and Fish Department on the current ordinance in an effort to address public concerns, public safety, and the welfare and safety of wildlife.
 

On 9-17-2013, the Flagstaff City Council adopted an ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wildlife in the city limits, (ordinance #6-01-001-0023). The primary enforcement agency on this ordinance is Arizona Game & Fish. The Flagstaff Police Department can receive calls for service regarding complaints from citizens and will work with Game and Fish in the enforcement of this ordinance.
 
The adoption of Ordinance 6-01-001-0023 has helped regulate the intentional feeding of wildlife by taking a proactive approach to feeding issues that are a concern to the citizens of Flagstaff and the Arizona Game & Fish Department at both the state and regional level. This ordinance will help address public safety and nuisance wildlife issues associated with feeding activities. Any peace officer in the state may enforce revised statutes. An officer with the Arizona Game & Fish Department can enforce this ordinance as the Flagstaff Municipal Court will accept citations issued by a state certified law enforcement officer.  

Arizona Revised Statute Sec. 13-2927 does prohibit the feeding of wildlife; however it only applies in counties with a population of more than (280,000) two hundred eighty thousand persons. (Coconino County’s population is 134,511 as per the 2011 census.) Therefore, there are no state statutes or county ordinances that prohibit the feeding of wildlife.  The Flagstaff Police Department has been in communication with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Department and they have had recent discussions with County administration about adopting an ordinance as well. The Arizona Game and Fish Department has approached the Coconino County Board of Supervisors on three separate occasions, but for reasons unknown, the proposed ordinance has not gained any traction.   

The Flagstaff Police Department and the Arizona Game & Fish Department believe that increased education is the key element of this ordinance. It will also deter individuals from feeding wildlife in areas that are impacted by wildlife. The ordinance will be enforced based on complaints generated by the public.

Records at the Flagstaff Police Department indicate we have received no calls for service related to this ordinance since it was adopted. We contacted Game & Fish and were advised that they have written six warnings and two citations, (three of these warnings and the two citations have been issued to the same individual) since the ordinance was enacted  Additionally, they have spoken to a “few” other individuals giving verbal warnings in what they refer to as “educational opportunities” since the ordinance was enacted.
 
Within the state several other counties and municipalities such as Navajo, Cochise, and Gila Counties and the cities of Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low have adopted wildlife feeding ordinances. However, they are specific to the issues regarding bears, coyotes, javelinas, and mountain lions. In 2012 the City of Scottsdale enacted an ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wildlife; however this is specific to their city parks only and does not encompass other properties, public or private within the city limits.

Attached is the Special Order drafted by the Flagstaff Police Department describing the ordinance and how it is to be enforced. Also attached is the current ordinance.