OkcPets Magazine May 2022

38 OKC Pets • May/June 2022 by Inger Giuffrida, executive director, and Kristy Wicker, education and outreach coordinator, WildCare Oklahoma Photos courtesy of WildCare Oklahoma W ild animals are common in urban and suburban neighborhoods, and some are especially well adapted to living among people. e put out the welcome mat for wildlife without even realizing it. Pet food left outside, easily accessible garbage cans, and watered yards containing an abundance of grubs and other insects provide plenty of food for wild animals. Our attics, decks, porches, sheds, chimneys, and brush piles provide cozy spots for wildlife to rest and raise young. And yet sometimes people see wildlife in cities and think the animal would be better off in the country or want the animals to be removed altogether. Well-meaning individuals might view live trap- ping and relocating as helpful and humane. Trapping and Relocating Wildlife is Not Helpful or Humane For many animals, trapping and relocating can mean almost certain death. Relocated animals are unfamiliar with where resources such as food, water, and shelter are located, and they have to compete with the animals already in the area. If the animal does not starve or die from exposure, it is also likely to be chased out or attacked if it is relocated to another animal’s territory. Be a Good Neighbor Avoid Trapping and Relocating Wildlife Skunks commonly are orphaned when people trap and remove Mom, leaving babies behind under sheds and porches. Unless rescued, they starve to death.