3 ‘helpful’ things that are actually harmful to animals

3 ‘helpful’ things that are actually harmful to animals

I’m approaching my 10-year anniversary here at Marin Humane and I can’t imagine a more perfect job. I’ve learned so much during that time about animals — of course — but also about people, including myself.

An important lesson I’ve learned is that oftentimes us humans think we’re doing the right thing for animals, when in fact our actions, as well-intentioned as they may be, can actually be harmful.

There are a few examples of this but here are my top three:

Someone ‘rescuing’ a cat they see outside

I know it seems counterintuitive if you’re an animal lover, but unless a cat is injured or sick, even if they “look” hungry, it’s best to leave that kitty alone. While I wish people would keep their cats inside exclusively for safety reasons, it’s not illegal to let one’s cat outside. Feeding that “stray” cat only encourages the cat to hang around instead of returning home for dinner. Worse is keeping that cat in your home and deciding they’re now yours without even trying to find the cat’s guardian. And cats brought to shelters, especially if they’re not microchipped, are not likely to be reclaimed by their guardian in the five to seven days before they’re evaluated for adoption because their guardian often assumes they’ve gone on a walk-around. Also, even the best shelters can be stressful for animals, especially cats, that often develop respiratory infections due to that stress.

Nationally, only about 2% of cats brought to shelters end up back home, while dogs are reunited with their families about 30% of the time. We fare better here in Marin County but still, lost cats brought to the shelter only have about a 25% to 30% chance of being reunited with their families and dogs end up back home around 80% of the time.

Feeding wildlife

While it feels like a kind thing to do, feeding wildlife is problematic at best and deadly for them at worst. According to WildCare, feeding wildlife can result in habituation to humans (putting them and our pets at risk as they come closer to our homes), the spread of disease, disruption of nature’s balance, which can lead to overpopulation, an increase in “nuisance” problems for those who do not want wildlife around them (and who will sometimes take inhumane measures to rid themselves of that “nuisance”) and the loss of biodiversity and destruction of habitats.

The fact is that wild animals are quite adept at finding food, especially in this verdant county. They do not need our interference and our desire to “help” or get close to them to have some sort of “magical moment” can actually be a death sentence. As harsh as it sounds, wildlife ecologists often say that “fed wildlife is dead wildlife.”

Judging people who rehome their pets

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