In recent years, City waterfront parks in Janesville have experienced a duck and goose population explosion. Today, parks such as Traxler, Monterey, and Riverside are suffering from concentrated waterfowl excrement and deteriorating lawn areas. We feel the best approach to this concern is to recommend that you do not feed these waterfowl. Towards that end the city has enacted the following ordinance:

Chapter 8 Article VI 

Feeding Geese and Ducks
Upon Public Property Prohibited

Sections:

Sec. 8-159. Feeding geese and ducks prohibited.

Sec. 8-160. Violations - Penalties.

Sec. 8-159. Feeding geese and ducks prohibited. No person may feed, provide or give any food or other edible item to any goose or duck, or any flock of geese or ducks, upon any public property or park in the City limits.

Sec. 8-160. Violations - Penalties.

A. Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall forfeit and pay to the City, as and for a penalty, a forfeiture of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than twenty five dollars ($25.00), together with the costs, fees and assessments of prosecution for each offense, and upon default in payment, shall be imprisoned in the Rock County Jail for not more than twenty days, or otherwise treated by the court as provided by law.

B. A verbal or written warning without a forfeiture penalty may be issued by the police officer for a first offense by a person.

C. In addition to the imposition of a forfeiture, the City may seek injunctive relief.

D. Each incident and each day's continuance shall constitute a separate offense.

 

We believe that by not feeding the ducks and geese, these birds will successfully return to feeding on their natural diet in and along the waters of our park system and the unhealthy concentration will diminish to natural numbers.

Do all of the ducks and geese a favor...observe and enjoy...but please refrain from feeding them.

Thank you from the Janesville Parks Division.