The purpose of this article is to prohibit the feeing of unconfined wildlife in any public park or on any other property owned or operated by the Township of Deerfield so as to protect to public health, safety and welfare, and to prescribe penalties for the failure to comply.
[Adopted 4-17-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-9]
For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein unless their use in the text of this article clearly demonstrates a different meaning. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural number include the singular number, and words used in the singular number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory.
To give, place, expose, deposit, distribute or scatter any edible material with the intention of feeding, attracting or enticing wildlife. Feeding does not include baiting in the legal taking of fish and/or game.
Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, or political subdivision of this State subject to municipal jurisdiction.
All animals that are neither human nor domesticated.
No person shall feed, in any public park or on any other property owned or operated by the Township of Deerfield, any wildlife, excluding confined wildlife (for example, wildlife confined in zoos, parks or rehabilitation centers, or unconfined wildlife at environmental education centers, or feral cats as part of an approved trap-neuter-release program).
Any person(s) who is found to be in violation of the provisions of this article shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $500.
Each section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase of this article is declared to be an independent section, subsection, sentence, clause, and phrase, and the finding or holding of any such portion of this article to be unconstitutional, void, or ineffective for any cause, or reason, shall not affect any other portion of this article.
This article shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption and any publication as may be required by law.