It’s tempting to want to get close to certain wild animals in Loveland, especially for those who love wildlife. However, it could land you with a citation requiring your appearance in Loveland Municipal Court. Granted, I don’t want my Fort Collins or Loveland neighbor feeding bears so that I have to worry about my safety every time I walk outside, but the man who was recently charged for Feeding Wild Animals wasn’t doing anything dangerous whatsoever. An 80-year-old man was ticketed after his neighbor complained that he was leaving peanuts out for the squirrels and the animals were digging holes in his yard to hide the nuts. Luckily, the case was dismissed when it went in front of the Loveland Municipal Court judge, but the fact that this man ever received a citation, is just ludicrous to me.
Loveland Feeding Squirrels and Wild Animals Municipal Ordinance: 6.28.045
According to the Loveland Municipal Ordinance – 6.28.045 – Knowingly Feeding Wild Animals:
- bears of any species;
- deer of any species;
- raccoons, skunks, badgers, porcupines, and other similar species, except ferrets and minks;
- any species of feline other than the ordinary domesticated house cat;
- any wolf, coyote, fox, and other species of canine other than the ordinary domesticated dog; and
- any other wild animal to the extent that such feeding constitutes a nuisance to the occupants of neighboring properties. For the purposes of this Section, nuisance shall mean a material threat to health or safety, material property damage, offensive odors, or any other condition that materially interferes with or disrupts another person in the conduct of lawful activities on such person’s property.
- It shall be a defense to a charge of violating this section that a person is feeding only squirrels and birds other than wild ducks or geese.
Fort Collins Municipal Feeding Wild Animals Charges: Section 4-73
The only reason this even became an issue is because the neighbor complained, and under part (F) property damage is grounds for a citation. However, the next section specifically says that a defense is that he was just feeding squirrels. Fort Collins Municipal code has a similar ordinance, but it only addresses feeding truly wild animals, with no provisions for if your neighbor doesn’t like it.
If you have been cited for a Loveland or Fort Collins Municipal violation, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 today. Together, we can protect your future.
Image Source: Pexels-Pixabay